Burglary, Contemporary

Burglary is an ancient common law crime against a dwelling, which was sometimes punishable by death. The felony crime of burglary is defined as the nocturnal breaking and entering into the dwelling house of another to commit a felony. Burglary is a felony crime against a habitat, as opposed to robbery, which is a crime against a person. Traditionally, burglary is a crime of stealth committed while the structure is unoccupied.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI's) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program defines burglary as the unlawful entry into a structure ...