Distinction between theft and robbery are as follows:
1. In theft, the accused takes the movable property out of the possession of a person without that person’s consent. The accused does not obtain the consent. In all robbery there is either theft or extortion and violence or fear of instant violence. In robbery, the accused compels a person to hand over the property and puts him under fear of death or injury. The accused obtains consent of the owner of the property by using force and violence.
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2. In theft, only dishonest intention is seen in the act of the accused while in robbery, besides dishonest intention, the accused puts the owner of the property in fear of death or injury and sometimes also causes death.
3. Theft, cheating, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust may overlap each other to certain extent while robbery, dacoity, extortion overlap with each other and resemble to certain extent.
4. Punishment for theft is less than robbery (i.e., three years of imprisonment and/or fine) while punishment for robbery (i.e., 10 or 14 years and also fine).