What crime is defined as knowingly entering or remaining in a building without authority with the intent to commit theft?

The crime defined as knowingly entering or remaining in a building without authority with the intent to commit theft is burglary. This definition encapsulates the elements essential to the offense: unauthorized entry and an intent to commit a crime once inside.

In the context of Illinois law, burglary involves not only the unlawful entry but also the specific intention to commit a theft or another felony within the structure. The focus is on the intention and the action of entering without permission.

Other offenses, while they may share similar characteristics, do not fit this specific definition. Robbery, for example, involves taking property from a person through force or intimidation, which is different from the act of merely entering a structure with intent. Theft itself pertains to the unlawful taking of someone else's property but does not necessarily involve the aspect of entering a building without permission. Breaking and entering, while closely related, is generally considered an act leading up to burglary and does not encapsulate the legal definition as clearly as burglary does.