Definition

Noun 1. The act of taking something from someone unlawfully: The crime of stealing property that belongs to another person or entity without permission and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it. 2. An instance of such an act: A specific event or case where property is stolen.

Usage

• "Theft" is a non-count noun when referring to the crime in general.
  • The store installed new cameras to prevent theft.
• "Theft" is a count noun when referring to specific instances.
  • There have been three thefts in this neighborhood this month.
• It is commonly used in legal, journalistic, and everyday contexts to describe the act of stealing.

Examples

• General crime:
  • He was arrested and charged with theft.
  • Identity theft is a growing problem in the digital age.
• Specific instance:
  • The theft of the priceless painting made headlines worldwide.
  • Police are investigating a series of car thefts.

Advanced Usage

• "Theft of services": The crime of obtaining valuable services (e.g., cable TV, transportation) by deception, force, or threat without paying for them.
  • He was fined for the theft of services after repeatedly riding the train without a ticket.
• "Grand theft" vs. "petty theft": Legal distinctions based on the value of the stolen property. "Grand theft" (or "grand larceny") involves property above a certain monetary value, while "petty theft" involves property below that value.
  • Shoplifting a candy bar is usually considered petty theft.

Variants and Related Words

• Thief (n): A person who commits theft.
  • The thief was caught on security camera.
• Thieve (v): To steal; to commit theft (less common than "steal").
  • They were accused of thieving from the warehouse.
• Thievery (n): The practice or action of stealing; theft (often used in a more general or literary sense).
  • The tale was one of piracy and thievery on the high seas.

Synonyms

• Larceny: A legal term, often synonymous with theft.
• Robbery: Theft involving force or the threat of force against a victim.
• Burglary: Theft that involves illegally entering a building to commit a crime.
• Stealing: The general act of taking something without permission.

Related Phrases

• To commit theft: To carry out an act of stealing (formal/legal).
  • He committed theft by taking the wallet from the unattended bag.
• Theft by finding: A legal concept where keeping a lost item you find, when you could identify the owner, may be considered theft.
  • Keeping the diamond ring you found in the park could be considered theft by finding.

Noun

1. the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
   • the thieving is awful at Kennedy International