The act of gaining unauthorized access to a facility to steal items is most commonly referred to as?

The act of gaining unauthorized access to a facility with the intention of stealing items is specifically known as burglary. This term is defined in legal contexts as entering a building or property without permission, with the intent to commit a crime, usually theft. The key component of burglary is the unauthorized entry, which distinguishes it from other terms related to stealing.

In contrast, robbery generally involves taking property from an individual through force or intimidation, making it more violent in nature. Larceny refers to the unlawful taking of someone else's property with the intent to permanently deprive them of it, but it does not necessarily involve unlawful entry into a property. Theft is a broader term that encompasses various forms of stealing, including both larceny and burglary, but it lacks the specific context of unauthorized entry that defines burglary. Thus, burglary is the most accurate term to describe the scenario of entering a facility illegally to commit theft.