Stealing: 
In Queensland, the law says stealing is when someone takes something that can be moved, or could be made to move, without permission. This is covered in Section 391 of the Criminal Code. There are two ways to steal:

1. Taking something directly (like picking up someone else’s phone).
2. Converting something for your own use (like finding a lost wallet and using the money inside).

A person is considered to be stealing if they intend to:

• Keep the item forever,
• Use the item as a promise for something,
• Change the item so it can’t be given back in the same condition,
• Use money they’ve taken as they wish, even if they plan to give it back later.

But, if someone finds something and doesn’t know who owns it, and thinks they can’t find out who owns it, it’s not stealing. The law also says that you can’t steal something that no one owns or something that’s been thrown away. Penalties for Stealing: The usual punishment for stealing can be up to five years in jail. But, if the theft involves things like stealing a lot of money (over $5000), stealing at work, or if the person has stolen before, the maximum jail time can be 10 years.

Robbery:
Robbery is a bit different. It’s when someone steals and either uses violence or threatens to use violence to take something or to stop someone from resisting the theft. This is in Section 409 of the Criminal Code. The punishment for robbery can be up to 14 years in jail. But, if the robber has a weapon, is with others, or hurts someone, they could face life in prison. 

An example of robbery is threatening a taxi driver to get back a fare, like what happened in a legal case called R v Kolodziej. Remember, these laws are complex, and if you’re dealing with a situation like this, it’s important to get legal help. At Hodgson Lawyers, we understand these laws well and can help explain them in a way that makes sense to you.