Popular media depictions of burglary often give people inaccurate ideas about this common crime. Most burglaries do not involve professionals with specialized equipment gaining access to secure facilities.
In fact, burglaries do not even necessarily involve criminals breaking a window or kicking in a door. A person accused of burglary does not need to force their way onto private property to be at risk of a burglary charge.
Many burglars enter a property legally
Burglary essentially entails unlawful presence at a property with the intent to commit a crime. Those intending to steal from a business or a home could enter the property legally and then hide as a means of stealing later.
People could enter a home during a party or an open house and then wait for everyone to leave before they misappropriate resources. People can enter a business during operating hours and hide, only to attempt to steal merchandise or capital from the business after it closes for the day.
The state does not need to prove that a person forced their way onto a property to pursue burglary charges. Additionally, the crime committed does not necessarily need to be theft. Anyone who hides at private property after entering legally as a means of having unregulated access later could be at risk of burglary charges.
No actual theft or crime needs to occur. If people spot the burglar in a place they shouldn’t be or cameras record their presence, prosecution is possible.
Defendants facing burglary charges must understand the law if they hope to defend themselves against those allegations. Reviewing the state’s case with a criminal defense attorney can be beneficial for anyone accused of burglary or theft offenses as a result.
