Indian Penal Code, 1860
Section 380
repealedTheft in dwelling house, etc.
Whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel, which building, tent or vessel is used as a human dwelling, or used for the custody of property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Why this exists
This section increases the punishment for theft when it happens in a place where people live or where property is specifically kept safe, because such thefts involve a greater violation of a person's sense of security in their own home or storage space, and often require more planning or intrusion. The heavier punishment reflects the added harm and fear caused by intrusion into a dwelling. This offence, often called house-theft, continues under a similarly structured provision in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which replaced the Indian Penal Code in 2024.