According to West Suburbs Roodepoort Neighbourhood Watch (WSRNW) spokesperson Frik van Zyl there is often confusion as to and arguments over the meaning of the terms ‘housebreaking’, ‘theft’ and ‘robbery’.
After getting the meaning of these terms from the police he hopes to settle the argument once and for all:
• Housebreaking with the intent to commit a crime
This crime consists of unlawfully and intentionally breaking into and entering a building or structure with the intention of committing some kind of crime in it.
• Theft
Theft consists of the unlawful appropriation of moveable corporeal property belonging to another party with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the property.
• Robbery
Robbery consists of the theft of property by intentionally using violence or threats of violence to induce submission to the taking of it from another. It should be noted though that if the victim is not directly involved in the incident, one of the elements needed to defend a robbery in court falls away. For example, if criminals broke into your house but you managed to hide and had no contact with them, then it is not regarded as a robbery.
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