Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Practice Exam

The correct term for knowingly obtaining, using, or attempting to use someone else's property with the intent to deprive that person of its use is theft. Theft encompasses a variety of actions where someone unlawfully takes or uses property that belongs to someone else without their permission, with the aim of denying the owner their rights to that property. This definition captures both the intent behind the act and the ultimate effect on the owner, as theft implies that the rightful owner will no longer have access to or use of their property. Burglary involves illegally entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime, not specifically about the unlawful use of someone else’s property. Robbery entails taking property from a person or their immediate presence by force or intimidation, which adds a layer of direct confrontation that theft does not. Fraud involves deceit to gain a benefit or property but does not necessarily manifest in the physical act of taking without permission. Thus, the nuances between these terms highlight why theft is the most accurate choice for the given scenario.