Furtum
Theft; the robbery of movable things, though furtum could be committed without actually
carrying off the object, as in the case of a thing deposited (
depositum),
the unlawful use of which was furtum. Furtum was either
manifestum or
not, the former when the thief was caught in the act. It was called
furtum
conceptum when a stolen object was found in a person's possession; and if a person gave
to a third person stolen goods, the third person could bring an
actio furti
oblati against the giver. The punishment for
furtum manifestum was
capitalis—i. e. affecting one's
caput (q.
v.). A thief killed while committing robbery at night was held by the Twelve Tables to be
lawfully killed; but in the daytime he could be killed only when he resisted with a deadly
weapon (
telum). See
Klopes
Diké.