Which term describes the act of theft specifically?

The term that specifically describes the act of theft is larceny. Larceny involves the unlawful taking and carrying away of someone else's personal property with the intent to deprive the owner of it. This definition captures the essence of theft as it focuses on the act of taking someone else's property without permission and with no intention of returning it.

Burglary, on the other hand, refers to the unlawful entry into a building or structure with the intent to commit a crime, usually theft, but it encompasses more than just the act of theft itself. Robbery entails taking property from a person through force or intimidation, which is a more aggressive crime than larceny. Pickpocketing is a specific form of theft that involves stealthily stealing from a person's clothing or bag, but it is just one method of committing larceny. Thus, larceny is the most accurate term that directly defines the act of theft.