Chapter 14: Burglary
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Chapter 14
Burglary
Objectives
1. Identify and briefly describe the elements of burglary.
2. Explain why intent and possession are important terms to consider when considering a
charge of possession of burglary tools.
3. State the four most important deterrents to offending for burglars.
4. Name three purposes for which burglars can use drones.
9. Describe how burglars search a home and what they expect/hope will be in different
rooms.
10. State five different circumstances that might explain a theft being reported at a home, but
for which there is no identifiable point of entry into the home.
Introduction
The three most striking aspects of burglary are its high frequency, extremely low clearance rates,
and massive economic impact. In 2019, there were over 1.1 million burglaries reported in the
However, burglary is also notable in the sense that it is highly diverse in the means of
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commission, types of offenders, motivation, and even what constitutes a burglary in different
states across the nation. For instance, in Florida, burglary is defined as “entering a dwelling,
structure, or conveyance with the intent to commit an offense therein,” while in Massachusetts, it
That said, all states currently use the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) standardized definition
of burglary when reporting annual crimes for analysis, where burglary is defined as “the
unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.” Importantly, this means that according
Notably, all definitions of burglary require a secondary offense be committed within the
structure, though it may vary as to whether these crimes are restricted to felonies, property
crimes, larceny, or include any illegal act. As burglary may involve theft of personal items, cash,
Lecture Notes
Many homes and businesses have alarms, but the alarms may be affected by improper
installation, faulty equipment, bad weather, monitoring center mistakes (Figure 14-2 in the text),
and user errors. Unfamiliarity with the system or not allowing for the size of roaming pets may
produce as much as an estimated 10% to 25% of all automatic alarm calls being false ones. In
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A burglary of an occupied dwelling is sometimes called a hot prowl. Serial burglars can be
I. Burglary Methods Change over Time
While burglary has existed for centuries, dating back to plunder of riches-filled tombs of
Egyptian pharaohs, the means of bur glary commission and prevention have changed
dramatically since that time.
II. The Offenses of Burglary and Possession of Burglary Tools
The definition of burglary is among the more variant of the major crimes in the United States and
A. Burglary Laws
Elements of the traditional crime of burglary are as follows:
• Entering
B. Possession of Burglary Tools
Possession of burglary tools, indicating premeditation of the offense, is a crime in itself in
many states. Some state statutes identify items that are considered “burglary tools,” such as
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III. Burglary Motivations and Deterrents
A study of burglars empirically established that the top two motivations for committing
burglaries are to get (1) drugs by finding prescription or illegal substances or (2) money. In
IV. Burglars: Planning, Information, and Gender Differences
Burglars vary in the amount of planning they do and how much information they gather using
different methods.
A. Planning and Information
The research team of Blevins, Kuhns, and Lee studied 422 incarcerated burglars and
Drones are believed to have been used to case home burglaries in England, Ireland, and New
Zealand. They are thought to have been deployed to take photographs, identify alarm systems
B. Gender Differences
While there are notable differences in the rates at which males and females commit crime,
among burglars, there are also several notable differences in the way men and women commit
V. Burglary Typologies
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This section describes various typologies that have been developed for burglary. A typology is a
A. Professional and Amateur Burglars
These professional and amateur burglars should not be thought of as a dichotomous
classification, that is, a burglar is one type or the other. Instead, they are polar opposite
categories, where burglars may fall somewhere along the continuum of each. Professional
B. Fox and farrington Burglary Profiles
The research team of Bryanna Fox and David P. Farrington collected data on hundreds of
solved burglary cases in Florida to statistically analyze whether there are distinctive subtypes
Organized burglaries are characterized by the professional nature of the offense, and show
signs of premeditation to reduce the burglar’s risks and increase his/her gains. Organized
burglary crime scenes usually have no forensic evidence and are left in a relatively unaltered
VI. Residential and Non-Residential Burglaries
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A. Residential Burglary
Residential dwellings are the most common targets among burglars, with single family
detached homes representing the most commonly attacked residential locations. It is estimated
that residential burglars complete their offenses within 8 to 12 minutes. Residential homes
also tend to be lightly protected and make “soft targets.” Burglars also want to make a “clean
B. Non-Residential Burglaries
Non-residential burglaries account for approximately 28% of all burglary offenses. Among
burglars who commit both residential and non-residential burglaries, 31% report a preference
for the latter.
The Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA) reported its members in 41 states lost $18.7 million to
VII. Entries by Unknown Means and Lock Picking
Occasionally, a burglary investigation cannot immediately identify a point of entry. There are
three major categories of lock picking: destructive, covert, and surreptitious. Although covert
and surreptitious are used synonymously, there is an important forensic difference. While covert
picking leaves no apparent external marks on a lock, a forensic laboratory examiner will be able
to locate marks on the internal lock mechanism. In theory, true surreptitious entries leave no
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forensic evidence. Perhaps the three most common methods of lock picking are:
VIII. Safe Burglaries
Safe burglaries have been declining for several decades, but have certainly not disappeared. In
part, the decline in safe burglaries is due to the prevalence of cashless transactions, for example,
IX. Car, RV, and Trailer Burglaries
Breaking into cars, recreational vehicles (RVs), and trailers typically constitutes a burglary.
Wherever cars are parked, they can become a target. Apartment complexes, sorority and
X. Approaching the Scene and Initial Actions
When responding to a burglary-in-progress call, some law enforcement policies allow officers
the discretion to just use their emergency lights without activating their siren, sometimes called
XI. Investigative Considerations at the Scene
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Officers must be attentive for unusual signs that may be of investigative value. The weight or
dimensions of property taken in a burglary may suggest, if only roughly, the number of people
XII. Stolen Goods Markets
Not all stolen property is traded or sold by burglars. Some of it may be kept to use as gifts or for
personal use, or sold by the offender at flea markets or by other means. One way or another, a
portion of stolen property also ends up overseas. “Fences” discretely buy goods from burglars
and other thieves in what is largely an underground/invisible economy. In turn, the fences resell
the stolen goods for a profit. The existence of stolen goods markets encourages property thefts,
including those accomplished by burglary. In addition to amateur, occasional fences, there are
six types of stolen goods markets:
• Commercial fence supplies: Burglars and other thieves sell stolen goods to commercial
fences operating out of their businesses, such as jewelry stores, pawnshops, and
secondhand stores.
Sting operations are an effective means of combating fences, identifying active criminals,
penetrating criminal organizations, and recovering property.
XIII. The Investigator’s Role in Burglary Prevention
Before leaving the scene of a burglary, investigators should share some rudimentary precautions
with victims to decrease the likelihood of their being “hit” again. The “Residential Crime
Chapter 14: Burglary
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A. Residential Crime Prevention
On pages 423-424, there are 13 suggestions about preventing residential crime which should
be read. A few examples from that list include the following:
• When traveling, stop delivery of mail and newspapers, or arrange for a reliable family
member, neighbor, or pet sitter to pick them up, as well as any packages left on the
B. Non-Residential Crime Prevention
On pages 424-425, there are 26 suggestions about preventing residential crime which should
be read. A few examples from that list include the following:
• Install bright exterior all night or motion-detection lighting.
• Place shielded locks with a stainless steel body and at least a 9/32” inch thick case–