Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969

Parliament of Northern Ireland
Long title	An Act to revise the law of Northern Ireland as to theft and similar or associated offences; and for purposes connected therewith.
Citation	1969 c 16
Dates
Royal assent	10 July 1969
Commencement	1 August 1969
Revised text of statute as amended

The Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 (often called "c 16") is a special law made by the Parliament of Northern Ireland. This law was created to update and improve the rules about stealing and other similar actions in Northern Ireland. It made the laws in Northern Ireland much like the ones in England and Wales that were set by the Theft Act 1968. This Act helps to make sure people's belongings are safe and that there are clear rules about what counts as stealing.

What is Theft?

This section of the Act explains what theft means in the eyes of the law. It describes the actions that are considered stealing someone else's property. This helps everyone understand what is allowed and what is not when it comes to taking things that don't belong to them.

What is Robbery?

This part of the Act talks about robbery. Robbery is a type of theft, but it involves more than just taking something. It usually means taking something from a person by using force or by making them feel scared. This section clearly defines what makes an act of stealing into a robbery.

What is Burglary?

This section explains burglary. Burglary happens when someone enters a building without permission, often with the plan to do something wrong inside, like stealing. This law helps protect homes and other buildings from people who enter them illegally.

What is Aggravated Burglary?

This part of the Act describes aggravated burglary. This is a more serious type of burglary. It usually means that when someone commits burglary, they also have a weapon with them, or they hurt someone, or they plan to hurt someone. This section makes sure that these more dangerous situations are treated very seriously.

Taking Things from Public Places

This section of the Act deals with taking items from places that are open to everyone, like shops or museums. It makes it clear that even if a place is open to the public, you cannot just take things from it without permission. This helps protect items in public spaces.

Taking Electricity Without Paying

This part of the law covers abstracting electricity. This means using electricity without paying for it or without permission. For example, if someone connects to an electricity supply illegally, this section makes that action against the law.

False Accounting

This section talks about false accounting. This happens when someone dishonestly changes or makes up financial records. This law helps make sure that money records are honest and correct, which is important for businesses and organizations.

Blackmail

This section explains blackmail. Blackmail is when someone tries to get money or something else valuable from another person by threatening to reveal something embarrassing or harmful about them. This law protects people from being forced to do things against their will.

Handling Stolen Goods

This part of the Act deals with handling stolen goods. This means knowing that something was stolen and then buying it, selling it, or helping to hide it. This law helps stop the trade of stolen items and makes it harder for thieves to benefit from their actions.

See also

• Theft Act