What's the difference between burglary and robbery? The difference between burglary and robbery is burglary is a property crime and robbery is a personal crime. You commit burglary by going into a residential or business habitation for the purpose of committing a felony, a theft, or an assault. So, you don't have to steal anything to commit a burglary. Robbery is when you take something from somebody. So you can be charged with both offenses.