Glossary of Theft Terms Wisconsin

breaking and entering- The criminal act of entering a dwelling of another without legal permission and with the intent to commit a crime inside that dwelling. Today, breaking and entering can apply to a vehicle or any other enclosed structure.

forcible entry- The crime of unlawfully taking possession of a house or structure by the use of force or threat of force.

grand larceny- Also known as grand theft. It is the theft of another's property valued over a certain statutory amount. Many states impose a $500.00 threshold. Grand larceny is considered by most states to be a felony punishable by a term of one year or more in state prison.See also: larceny theft

larceny- The intentional taking of another person's property without legal permission. What constitutes legal permission varies from state to state. Whether it is grand larceny or petty larceny depends on the actual value of the property stolen.

possession of stolen goods- The unlawful possession of goods known to have been stolen. It is generally considered a felony.

robbery- The unlawful taking of property from a person through force, threat or intimidation. Robbery is a considered an aggravated felony when it is accompanied with a dangerous weapon such as a gun. Such a felony is punishable by state or federal prison.

theft- Crimes of larceny. Larceny is the unlawful and intentional taking of another person’s property with the intent to deprive that person of said property permanently. Larceny can be done by fraud, force or threat of force. In many states, the value of the property will dictate whether the crime will be charged as grand theft or petty theft.

concealment- The intentional and bad faith failure to provide material information to someone with the felonious intent to commit a theft on that person. Examples include failure to disclose that a car is known to be a lemon or failing to disclose a bankruptcy in the hope of obtaining credit.

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