Thread: Burglar or thief?

burglary or "to burlarize" is a particular type of theft. It means to break into a house or business and steal without confronting people; therefore a burglar is a specialized thief. They are among the most accomplished of thieves. So-called "cat burglars", i.e., highly skilled burglars who can slip into an occupied home unnoticed and get away without the occupants even being aware they were in the house. Cat burglars have been known to steal very high value items such as expensive jewelry from mansions of the rich and and art pieces from museums.

Although both are thieves, a burglar is different from a robber in that the robber confronts people and steals directly from them. A purse snatcher is a robber, a bank robber, a holdup at a grocery store is a robbery. A person who breaks into the same grocery store after it closes is a burglar.

P.S. Many people confuse burglary with robbery and sometimes as a matter of convenience when somebody discovers that their home has been burlarized they report that "I've been robbed!"...maybe because it's easier than saying "I've been burglarized!".

Great contribution, Vicente! Now that I read your explanation, I can remember something of what I learned during my English lessons about fifteen years ago. That reminds me of Salvador's exercise to recover certain knowledge hidden somewhere in your brain!

Thanks for asking, Jonatane!