Alberta Basic Security Training (ABST) Practice Exam 2025

When is theft considered complete?

1. When the object is moved

2. When the object is hidden

3. When the intent to steal exists

4. When the item is damaged

The correct answer is: When the intent to steal exists

The theft is considered complete when the intent to steal exists, because the legal definition of theft involves the intent to permanently deprive the owner of their property. In criminal law, it is the intention to commit the act of theft that marks the threshold for theft being regarded as a completed crime. Even if the object has not yet been physically taken or moved, the mere intent to steal demonstrates that the person has taken the mental steps necessary to commit the crime. The act of moving an object or hiding it may indicate an attempt or progression towards theft, but without the intent, it does not fulfill the legal criteria for theft. Similarly, damaging an item does not relate directly to the completion of theft unless it is coupled with the intention to steal. Thus, it is the existence of the intent that fundamentally defines the crime of theft.