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Theft and burglary

What is it?


Burglary occurs when a person enters a building or part of a building without permission and steals items from inside. Most people associate this crime with an offender entering someone’s home and removing their possessions without having the owner’s permission to do so.

A person commits burglary when they also enter part of a building as a trespasser with the intention of:

The burglary can also occur in buildings such as, outbuildings, sheds and garages and not just where a person lives.


Theft is the dishonest taking of property which belongs to another person and having no intention what so ever of returning the property. Therefore the offender disposes of and treats the property as their own, permanently depriving the victim of the property.

What should you do if you believe you have been burgled or had property stolen

Let Gwent Police know straight away. If you suspect you are being burgled, 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

For certain crimes, Gwent Police may not send an officer out to visit you but will record all the details of the incident, offer you advice, , and issue you with a crime number. If there is any evidence, for example CCTV or items left behind by the thieves that may contain fingerprints, then make sure you tell  the police. Use gloves when handling any item for fingerprint examination and try not to handle it any more than necessary. 

If you have had an item of property stolen or witnessed a theft you can report it to the police on-line or by calling 101.