Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA) BA State Certification Practice Exam

What felony is committed when an offender takes property by force or threat of force?

1. Burglary

2. Theft

3. Robbery

4. Fraud

The correct answer is: Robbery

The correct answer is rooted in the definition of the crime involving the use of force or the threat of force. In the context of criminal law, robbery is characterized specifically by taking property from a person or their immediate presence through intimidation, coercion, or the use of physical force. This distinguishing feature emphasizes that robbery targets the victim directly and involves an element of confrontation. In contrast, burglary involves unlawfully entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime, commonly without directly confronting a person. Theft generally pertains to the unlawful taking of someone else's property without the use of force or intimidation, focusing instead on stealth. Fraud, on the other hand, is acquiring property through deceit or misrepresentation rather than through direct intimidation or coercion. Therefore, the defining elements of robbery—the use of force or the threat thereof—make it the correct answer in this scenario.