Burglary, Theft, Robbery

Trends

Rates of personal and household burglary, theft, and robbery have decreased consistently over the past two decades. The 

national rate of personal robbery has decreased 67%, from 6.3 victimizations per 1,000 individuals in 1995 to 2.1 per 1,000 in 

2015. Similarly, the rate of personal theft dropped 84% (from 1.9 to 0.3), while household burglary and household theft* have 

declined 60% and 65%, respectively. The rate of motor vehicle theft has also declined 75% (from 17.1 to 4.3).A

Did You Know?

In 2014, 60.9% of robberies were reported to the police, 

up 10% since 2005.A

32% of men robbed in 2014 were robbed by a stranger; 

23% of women were robbed by someone they knew.

A

41% of robberies involve the use of strong-arm tactics, 

while 38% involve the use of firearms.

B

**

31 out of 1,000 individuals were victims of burglary by 

forcible entry; 19 out of 1,000 were victims of burglary 

by unlawful entry.

B

 

2017 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide: Crime and Victimization Fact Sheets

From 1995 to 2015, the rates of robbery, burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft known to law enforcement have declined. 

Robbery has decreased from 2.2 per 1,000 individuals to 1. Burglary decreased 50%, from nearly 10 per 1,000 individuals to 

about 5. Similarly, larceny-theft and motor-vehicle theft decreased by 41% and 61%, respectively. It is important to note 

that the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) includes commercial crimes in these estimates, while the National Crime Victimization 

Survey (NCVS) does not. Despite this difference, the UCR and NCVS have reported comparable changes over the years. The 

convergence of these numbers indicates that victims of burglary, robbery, and theft, on average, report their victimization to 

law enforcement.B

Burglary, theft, and robbery each amount to billions of dollars in total monetary losses each year. Larceny-theft (or 

simply “theft”) is defined as the unlawful removal of property. Burglary, a property crime, is defined as theft from an 

unoccupied dwelling. Robbery, unlike theft or burglary, is considered a violent crime and occurs when an individual is 

present during a theft or attempted theft.

Personal Robbery and TheftA

rate per 1,000 people

Personal robbery

Personal theft/larceny

1995

2.1

0.3

0.9

3.1

1.9

6.3

1997 2001 2003 2007 2009 2013

10

1999 2005 2011 2015

0

10

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Personal Theft and Robbery

Rate per 1,000 Individuals

Household Theft, Burglary, and Motor Vehicle TheftA

rate per 1,000 people

0

300

1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 1995

243.9

54.4

30.6

120.3

22.0

84.4

1997 2001 2003 2007 2009 2013

300

1999 2005 2011 2015

17.1

8.6 4.3

Motor vehicle theft

Household burglary

Household theft

Burglary, Theft, and Robbery Known to Law EnforcementB

rate per 1,000 people

Larceny-theft

Burglary

Motor vehicle theft

Robbery

0 

40 

17.8

7.3

22.9

9.9

30.4

40

1995

4.9

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

2.2 1.4

1.0

5.6 4.2 2.2
SOURCES

A Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Survey, Concatenated File, 1992-2014, (U.S. Department of Justice) 

B FBI, Crime in the United States, 1995 - 2015, (U.S. Department of Justice), 

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/

table-23

NOTES

* Household theft is categorized as the taking (attempted or completed) of 

property by an individual who has a right to be in the house. Household 

burglary is categorized as the taking of property by an individual who has 

no right to be in the house.

** The FBI defines strong-arm tactics as the use of hands, arms, feet, fists, or 

teeth as a weapon.

Burglaries are more likely to occur at residential dwellings, compared to stores, offices, or other non-residential locations. 

Residential dwellings are also at a greater risk during the day, while most non-residential burglaries occur at unknown times 

throughout the day.B

In 2015, 46% of larceny-theft known to law enforcement 

was worth over $200. The most commonly reported types of 

theft include motor vehicle theft and shoplifting, as well as 

other forms of larceny-theft not categorized by the UCR. The 

category “other” includes pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, 

coin-operated thefts, thefts involving items from behind a 

fenced enclosure, the theft of animals, outdoor furniture and 

machinery, boats, jet skis, and airplanes.B

Of the 284,722 robberies known to law enforcement in 

2015, 40% occurred on public roads; 23% occurred within 

businesses, including gas stations, service stations, and 

convenience stores; and 19% occurred at other locations, 

such as within houses of worship, on public transportation, 

at schools, and within government offices.B

Current Data on Burglary, Theft, Robbery

Motor vehicle (24%)

Shoplifting (22%)

Buildings (12%)

Motor vehicle accessories (7%)

Bicycles (3%)

Other (35%)

Larceny-Theft by Type Larceny B - Theft by Type

Motor Vehicle (24%)

Shoplifting (22%)

Buildings (12%)

Motor Vehicle

Accessories (7%)

Bicycles (3.6%)

Other (30%)

Public road (40%)

Business (23%)

Residence (17%)

Bank (2%)

Other (19%)

Location of RobberyB

Location of Robbery

Public Road

Business

Residence

Bank

Other

Location of BurglaryB

by type of residence

Residence 71.6

Non-residence 28.4

100%

Burglary by Time of DayB

and type of residence

Day Night

20.7

11.9 10 6.5

13.4

37.5

Residence

Non-residence

100%

Unknown