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"theft" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often larceny (7 letters).
Definitions
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
Word origin
From Middle English theft, thefte, þefte, þefþe, þiefþe, Old English þīefþ, from Proto-West Germanic *þiubiþu, from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō, from *þeubaz (“thief”), equivalent to thief or thieve + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Old Frisian thiuvethe, thiufthe (“theft”), dialectal Dutch diefte (“theft”), obsolete German Diebde (“theft”), Icelandic þýfð (“theft”).
Used in a sentence
“resource theft”
“Bike theft is on the rise.”
“A suspect was arrested for the theft of a gold necklace.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Stealing”5 letters
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