A commonly charged offense in the state of California is burglary. With that noted, you may be like many people who have questions about what exactly constitutes the crime. For example, you may wonder whether burglary is a theft crime. The short answer is generally no, but it can involve a theft.
Definition of burglary
Burglary is defined as the unlawful entering into some type of building or structure with the intend to commit some type of crime. More often than not, a residence or business are the types of structures targeted for burglaries.
Burglary does not depend on the intent to commit theft
While theft many times is the goal of a burglar, the intent to commit theft is not always the crime intended when a burglary occurs. According to criminal law, a range of other types of crimes can be associated with burglary. These can include violent crimes, including assaults.
A person facing a charge of burglary likely will face accusations of at least one other crime as well. For example, a person may be charged with burglary and some type of assault or theft.
No matter the specific charges, a criminal case is an extremely serious legal matter. As a result, a person being investigated for a crime or already facing criminal charges best protects his or her legal interests by retaining the services of a qualified, experienced California attorney. The first step in retaining legal representation is scheduling an initial consultation with a criminal defense lawyer.
