ABSTRACT
Have you ever thought about taking something that does not belong to you? Could it have been something little such as a stick of gum or something big like an expensive watch? Were you at your friend’s house, at the grocery store, or in a building where you didn’t belong? Crimes against property take on a variety of forms. They range from the professional practices of career thieves to the opportunistic or careless behavior of first-time offenders. They can make history or go relatively unnoticed. For research purposes, criminologists categorize the property crimes of larceny, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson by their success or failure, as well as by the offender’s level of skill, degree of planning, and method of execution.1
