Example of theft: only the wheel of the bicycle is left

Paul-Charles Chocarne-Moreau, The Cunning Thief, 1931

Theft is when one person or group takes from another person, business, or state any object, money, or information without permission and does not intend to return it. A person who has been convicted of theft may be called a thief. However, the practice of engaging in theft is also called stealing. There are many different types of theft, such as pickpocketing and shoplifting. Burglary and robbery are separate crimes which involve theft.