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What Is The Difference Between A Burglary And A Robbery?
Burglary involves entering a property with intent to commit a felony. If you’re illegally entering a property, you don’t even have to commit a felony; you just have to have intent to commit a felony.
Robbery involves actually robbing another person.
Technically, in a burglary, you could go into your ex-girlfriend’s house with intent to rough her up or steal her dog; perhaps you don’t steal her dog, but you do enter the premise without her permission. This is a burglary.
Burglary is a wide-open charge. There are a hundred different ways you can commit a burglary, and there are different degrees of burglary. For example, there could be a burglary of a residence, a burglary of a non-residential structure, and a burglary of a business. Depending on which type of structure it is, this will either increase or reduce the seriousness of the felony.
A robbery, however, is a much more serious crime.
A robbery involves taking property from another person against his will. Perhaps you threaten or use force with the intent to deprive the person of the property or to prevent resistance from the person while taking the property.
A robbery involves actually taking things from a person, while burglary involves simply taking things out of a place. Note that you don’t even have to steal things to be charged for a burglary.
If Someone Breaks Into a Property, Is This Considered a Burglary?
Yes, that’s exactly what a burglary is. There are different degrees of burglaries, but the least serious burglary involves entering. You don’t even have to enter unlawfully.
This could involve you entering your ex-girlfriend’s house, even when she tells you to leave. When you don’t leave, you remain unlawfully. This is a second-degree burglary.
Let’s say you go into your ex-girlfriend’s house with her permission, but you get in an argument. She says, “I want you to leave,” and you don’t leave. In this case, you remain there unlawfully.
Then, if this person somehow shows you had the intent to commit any theft or any felony therein, you could be charged of a burglary. You don’t have to complete the crime, and you don’t have to break in, physically.
Let’s say you’re invited to a party, and you go to this person’s house. After a while, he says, “Everybody has to leave,” but you won’t leave. Then, you start a fight with him and you push him. This is a burglary.
In this case, you remain unlawfully. You have intent to commit a felony. You take up a beer bottle to hit him or scare him, and you commit a felony. Thusly, a burglary doesn’t even require a theft.
Should I Consult an Attorney?
Absolutely!
If you consult a good attorney, and he tells you what to expect, then you can probably rely on this attorney’s advice. You might not have to hire him, but you should always consult one. Your case could have unintended consequences that you don’t expect.
Essentially, if you have an older parent who is on benefit, pleading guilty to even a low level felony or an undesignated felony, where you can earn a misdemeanor, the court can suspend benefits.
There are all kinds of consequences that can occur. Let’s say it’s a misdemeanor plea offer, and you slough it off, but you still go to jail for a short amount of time. They can suspend your benefits.
Having to reapply to get those benefits is a nightmare! I’ve had clients who live off the benefits. If they have a DUI or go to jail for more than 30 days, they’re going to lose their benefits. They’re going to lose their apartment, and they’re going to be destitute.
This is just a misdemeanor, but they don’t know the unintended consequences on everything else.
For more information on Difference Between Burglary and Robbery, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling (480) 442-8343 today.