Robbery, Burglary and Theft Are Three Different Crimes
Robbery is theft using force or the threat of it. Burglary is entering a building to steal, and confusing them is very common.
Robbery is theft accomplished by force or the threat of force against a person. That is what separates it from *theft*, which needs no confrontation, and from *burglary*, which is entering a building as a trespasser to commit an offence. A house broken into while empty is burgled, not robbed — however the headline puts it.
- Theft using force or threat. *An armed robbery.*
- An excessive price (informal). *Ten pounds? That is robbery.*
- Robbery with violence — an aggravated form. *Convicted of robbery with violence.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | robbery | A bank robbery. |
| Plural | robberies | A spate of robberies. |
| Verb | rob | They robbed him. |
| Person | robber | A masked robber. |
| Related | burglary | A burglary at the shop. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He was charged with robbery.Force was used or threatened.
- The house was burgled while they were away.No person confronted.
- Daylight robbery.An outrageous price.
Property offences compared
- Theft — dishonestly taking property
- Robbery — theft with force or threat against a person
- Burglary — entering as a trespasser to steal or commit certain offences
- Mugging — informal for street robbery
- Fraud — obtaining property by deception
From Old French *roberie*, from *rober*, to rob, of Germanic origin — related to the word for spoil or booty, and distantly to *robe*, once part of the plunder.
Can a house be robbed?
Not in law. People are robbed; buildings are burgled. The loose usage is common but legally wrong.
Are rob and robe related?
Yes. Clothing was valuable plunder, and the words share a Germanic root meaning booty.