Alberta Security Guard License Practice Exam

If a person is apprehended for attempted theft, what legal term best describes their action?

1. Break and enter

2. Criminal mischief

3. Robbery

4. Attempted crime

The correct answer is: Break and enter

The legal term that best describes a person who has been apprehended for attempted theft is "attempted crime." This term specifically refers to actions taken toward committing a crime, even if the crime was not successfully completed. Attempted theft indicates that the individual intended to steal but did not succeed in carrying out the act. The other terms, such as break and enter, criminal mischief, and robbery, are associated with specific actions that involve completed or partially completed offenses. Break and enter refers to unlawfully entering a property with the intent to commit a crime, which has a more precise application than the general notion of attempted theft. Criminal mischief involves damaging property, which does not apply here since the focus is on theft. Robbery entails taking property through force or intimidation, which is a more serious offense than mere attempted theft. Thus, while all these terms relate to criminal actions, "attempted crime" directly encapsulates the action of trying to commit theft without completing the act.