Short answer
Robbery centers on taking or attempting to take something through force, threats, or fear; burglary centers on unlawful entry into a structure to commit a felony or theft. Theft, used here in the narrower FBI sense of larceny-theft, centers on unlawfully taking property without force, violence, or fraud. These are the supplied FBI’s 2018–2019 reporting definitions, not a state-by-state account of criminal statutes. 1 2
On this page
At a glance
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| Question | Robbery | Burglary | Theft (larceny-theft here) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central feature? | Taking through force, threats, or fear | Unlawful entry with felony or theft purpose | Unlawful taking of property |
| Must property actually be taken? | No; attempts included | No completed taking specified | No; attempts included |
| Must a structure be involved? | Not specified | Yes | Not specified |
What each thing is
Robbery describes how something is taken from a person’s care or control. Burglary describes entry into a structure and the purpose behind it. Larceny-theft describes taking property from another’s possession, including constructive possession, rather than requiring a direct confrontation with its owner. 1 2
Key differences
Force against a person and entry into a structure are different dimensions. Robbery does not specify unlawful entry; burglary does not specify force against a victim. Burglary’s intended offense can also be a felony other than theft, so its definition reaches beyond plans to steal. 1
How to tell them apart
Ask three questions: Was property taken or a taking attempted? Were force, threats, or fear used against a person? Was a structure unlawfully entered with felony or theft purpose? Those questions identify the central distinctions in these definitions. They are a reading aid, not a determination of charges under an unexamined state statute. 1
Where they overlap
A hypothetical unlawful entry followed by stealing property involves both burglary’s entry-and-purpose feature and a taking. That conceptual overlap does not establish how an incident would be counted or charged. The supplied definitions identify the relevant features but do not explain combined-offense treatment. 1
Edge cases
No stolen property does not necessarily mean no robbery or burglary: robbery includes attempted takings, while burglary does not require completion of the intended theft or felony. The FBI also includes attempted forcible entry within burglary. Separately, theft of an entire motor vehicle has its own category, unlike theft of vehicle accessories. 1
Why the distinction exists
The definitions separate three questions that the everyday phrase “someone stole something” leaves unanswered: what happened to the property, what happened to the person controlling it, and whether unlawful entry occurred. The FBI lists robbery, burglary, and larceny-theft separately rather than treating all property-related incidents alike. 1
Common misconceptions
“A theft inside a building is burglary” is too broad: the FBI’s 2019 larceny-theft breakdown expressly includes thefts from buildings. Location alone does not establish unlawful entry with criminal purpose. Likewise, this larceny-theft category is not a catchall for fraud; it excludes embezzlement and specified fraud-related offenses. 2
Examples
Two hypothetical cases illustrate the boundary. First, someone secretly takes a bicycle from another’s possession without force or fraud: bicycle theft is a listed larceny-theft example. Second, someone threatens force to obtain a person’s wallet but leaves empty-handed: the attempted taking fits the FBI robbery definition despite no completed loss. 2 1