looting
n. uncountable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫutɪŋ// UK //lˈuːtɪŋ// loot·ing
n. the act of stealing things from shops or houses during a war, a riot, or a natural disaster. It usually happens when there is no police or order in the area.
n. the act of stealing goods from a place, typically during a riot, war, or other chaotic situation where law enforcement is absent or overwhelmed.
The police arrived quickly to stop the looting in the city center.
After the hurricane destroyed the power grid, several stores reported incidents of looting as people took advantage of the darkness.
Historians often distinguish between opportunistic looting by desperate civilians and the systematic state-sponsored looting of cultural artifacts during wartime occupations.