Category:Theft

Theft, n. Etym: [oe. thefte, as. Þiéfthe, þ\'dffthe, þeófthe. See Thief.]

1. (law)

Defn: the act of stealing; specifically, the felonious taking and Removing of personal property, with an intent to deprive the rightful Owner of the same; larceny.

Note: to constitute theft there must be a taking without the owner's Consent, and it must be unlawful or felonious; every part of the Property stolen must be removed, however slightly, from its former Position; and it must be, at least momentarily, in the complete Possession of the thief. See larceny, and the note under robbery.

2. The thing stolen. [r.] If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive,. . . he shall Restore double. Ex. xxii. 4.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Theft - Punished by restitution, the proportions of which are noted in 2 Samuel 12:6. If the thief could not pay the fine, he was to be sold to a Hebrew master till he could pay (Exodus 22:1). A night-thief might be smitten till he died, and there would be no blood-guiltiness for him (Exodus 22:2). A man-stealer was to be put to death (Exodus 21:16). All theft is forbidden (Exodus 20:15; Exodus 21:16; Leviticus 19:11; Deuteronomy 5:19; Deuteronomy 24:7; Psalms 50:18; Zechariah 5:3; Matthew 19:18; Romans 13:9; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Peter 4:15).