Legal Definitions - rapine

Rapine refers to the forcible seizure and carrying away of another person's property, often involving violence or the threat of violence. It describes an act of plundering or pillaging where goods are taken by force.

Historically, the term also had an archaic meaning referring to rape, but this usage is no longer common in modern legal contexts.

Here are some examples illustrating the modern legal meaning of rapine:

• Example 1: During a period of civil unrest, a group of armed individuals breaks into a series of abandoned warehouses, forcibly removing all the valuable machinery and raw materials stored inside, intending to sell them for personal gain.

  Explanation: This scenario demonstrates rapine because the group is forcibly seizing and carrying off the property (machinery, raw materials) belonging to others (the warehouse owners) through an act of plunder.

• Example 2: A band of mercenaries, operating without official sanction, raids a remote mining camp. They overpower the security personnel and then systematically take all the processed ore, the camp's vehicles, and the personal belongings of the miners, loading them onto their own transport.

  Explanation: This is an instance of rapine, as the mercenaries are using force to seize and carry away the property (ore, vehicles, personal belongings) of the mining company and its employees.

• Example 3: In a region affected by a natural disaster, a criminal gang exploits the chaos by entering homes and businesses that have been evacuated. They forcibly remove electronics, jewelry, and other valuables, intimidating any remaining residents who attempt to intervene.

  Explanation: This illustrates rapine because the gang is forcibly taking and carrying away property (electronics, jewelry, valuables) from others (the homeowners and business owners) under duress and threat.