Which statement correctly matches the definitions of theft, burglary, and robbery?

• A. Theft is taking property with consent; burglary is unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime; robbery is stealing from a property.
• B. Theft is unlawful entry with intent; burglary is taking property from a person; robbery is damaging property.
• C. Theft is taking property without consent; burglary is unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime; robbery is taking property from a person through force or intimidation.
• D. Theft is stealing on credit; burglary is trespassing; robbery is petty theft.

Answer: (C)

Distinguishing theft, burglary, and robbery hinges on consent, entry, and force. Theft involves taking someone else’s property without consent and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner, and it doesn’t require breaking into a place or using force against a person. Burglary requires unlawful entry into a building or structure with the intent to commit a crime inside, regardless of whether anything is stolen. Robbery is taking property directly from a person through force or intimidation, meaning the confrontation with the victim is essential.

The statement that matches these definitions is: theft is taking property without consent; burglary is unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime; robbery is taking property from a person through force or intimidation. For example, shoplifting fits theft, breaking into a house to steal fits burglary, and mugging someone to take their wallet fits robbery.

Other options mix up these elements: one describes theft as unlawful entry (that’s burglary), another implies theft involves taking from a person without specifying force (but lacks the clear consent and intent framing), and another mislabels aspects like trespassing or damage as the defining crime.