If an individual unlawfully enters a property with the intent to commit theft, what legal term applies?

The correct legal term that applies when an individual unlawfully enters a property with the intent to commit theft is burglary. Burglary specifically involves the act of entering a structure, such as a building or residence, without permission with the intent to commit a crime, typically theft, inside.

Burglary does not require that the crime be completed; the mere intent at the time of entering is sufficient for it to be classified as such. This legal definition emphasizes the unauthorized entry and the specific intention to commit a theft.

In contrast, robbery involves taking property from a person or their immediate presence through force or threat of force, which is a different legal concept. Arson is the willful burning or exploding of property and does not pertain to theft. Embezzlement involves the misappropriation of funds or property entrusted to an individual, which again is unrelated to the act of unlawful entry or the intent to commit theft via that entry.