The Difference Between the One Who Steals, the One Who Plunders, and the Highway Robber

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, what is the difference between the one who steals, the one who plunders, the one who attacks, and the highway robber?

Answer:
Look. I say that the highway robber is the one who confronts people in the desert or in buildings and forcibly takes their money openly under the threat of a weapon. This is the highway robber. As for the one who comes to a person and plunders from him,
or deceives him, then takes his money when he is careless or when he is away, and if he is negligent, he takes it. This is a thief. This is considered a traitor; he is considered a thief who steals. This one is excused because he did not take it from a secure place, and he did not take it by force, because its owner was present with it. So this is a thief who steals. There is no amputation for him, as comes in the hadith. But he is given a discretionary punishment and the money is taken from him. Yes.