| Wiki: | Looting (Hindi l??, akin to Sanskrit lu?hati, steals; also Latin latro, latronis, ""thief""), to rob, sacking, plundering, despoiling, despoliation or pillaging is the indiscriminate taking of goods by force as part of a military or political victory, or during a catastrophe or riot, such as during war, natural disaster, or rioting. The term is also used in a broader (some would argue metaphorical) sense, to describe egregious instances of theft and embezzlement, such as the ""plundering"" of private or public assets by corrupt or greedy authorities. Looting is loosely distinguished from scavenging by the objects taken, scavenging implies taking of essential items such as food, water, shelter, or other material needed for survival while looting implies items of luxury or not necessary for survival such as war trophies, art work, or other valuables. |
