What is the difference between burglary, theft, and robbery? Which has the broadest legal definition?

The definition of theft encompasses a wide range of unlawful acts involving the taking of someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it. Theft includes various crimes such as larceny, shoplifting, and even certain types of fraud, making it the most comprehensive category compared to burglary and robbery.

Burglary specifically refers to the unlawful entry into a building or structure with the intent to commit a crime inside, usually theft. It primarily focuses on the act of entering a premises illegally rather than the act of taking property itself.

Robbery, on the other hand, entails taking property from a person or their immediate presence through the use or threat of force. This makes robbery a more confrontational and violent crime than either theft or burglary.

Given these definitions, theft has the broadest legal scope because it captures various forms of property crimes beyond just the act of breaking and entering or the use of force.