Property crimes can take many forms. Crimes against property encompass a variety of categories of larceny, including basic theft, purse-snatching, pickpocketing, shoplifting, and art, vehicle, and boat theft; various types of fraud, some of which require no physical contact with the victim; high-tech crimes, such as computer crime; burglary; fencing; and arson. After discussing the elements and statistics for each of these offenses, the chapter concludes with a brief discussion of comparative crime rates.
