There are several types of looting. Whatever the specific situation is, looters seek out unprotected property in order to meet some specific personal need. That need may be financial or it may be basic survival. For example, artifacts may be stolen or damaged by individuals that find an archaeological site unprotected.
On occasion, big or widely publicized artifacts become the desire of individuals that take part in looting. Artifacts that are looted from archaeological sites are often damaged or sold, with either scenario resulting in the permanent loss of those artifacts.
Industrial looting involves perpetrators that seek out large items in warehouses, such as expensive industrial equipment. Large structures, such as warehouses and farms, often make it difficult for owners to protect their property on a twenty-four hour basis, especially in certain circumstances, such as war.
Natural disasters, such as Hurricanes, or earthquakes, often leave such property unguarded for extended periods of time.Industrial looting can also involve white collar crime, such as the events that have recently taken place with Goldman Sachs. In that case, it is believed that the perpetrators looted money form unsuspecting clients in order to increase their own financial wealth.
Looting can take on many forms. There are looters that seek archaeological artifacts, which often end up getting damaged in the process. There are looters that take part in the crime in order to acquire the basic necessities of survival after a natural disaster.
There are looters that steal after events such as war simply because the opportunity presents itself. In every type of looting, the perpetrators take the personal property of another because that property remains unguarded by the rightful owner.
