What does the term “taking” in theft offenses imply?

The term “taking” in theft offenses primarily refers to the act of physically obtaining or gaining possession of someone else's property without their consent. This aligns closely with the concept of physical possession, as it emphasizes the action of seizing or appropriating property that does not belong to the thief.

In theft laws, this act of taking must be without permission, as the essence of theft involves the illegal acquisition of property from its rightful owner. The focus is not solely on the physical act but also intricately tied to the absence of consent from the owner.

While intent to transfer ownership and removing property from a location are closely related concepts, they do not encapsulate the broader meaning of "taking" as it is used in legal definitions of theft. Receiving stolen goods involves a different aspect of theft offenses, focusing on the possession of property knowing it has been obtained through theft, rather than the initial act of taking the property itself.