Theft and burglary

Theft is a crime of dishonesty and involves taking the property of another person while not intending to give it back.

A person commits theft if they dishonestly take property belonging to another intending to permanently deprive them of it.

Burglary occurs when a person enters a building or part of a building without permission and steals items from inside. For many people, this means someone has entered their house without permission and stolen their property. A person commits burglary when they enter part of a building as a trespasser with the intention of:

• Causing damage
• Inflicting serious injury
• Committing theft

The burglary doesn't have to occur in just a house itself. Reports of thefts from gardens, outbuildings, sheds and garages are an issue too, particularly in rural areas, and will also be treated as burglary.

Further help and information

If a burglary is in progress, you should call 999 straight away and wait in a safe place for help to arrive. Do not enter your property if there is a chance the suspect is still inside.

If you have had property stolen, or witnessed a theft, you can report it to the police by calling 101 or you can report it online.

You can also use the Immobilise website to register stolen electrical items including mobile phones and iPads and to help Wiltshire Police to recover and return items which have been stolen.