Burglary, History of

While the historical underpinning of the law of burglary as developed by the common law judges in England starting in the reign of King Henry II in 1154 was the protection of the right of habitation, present-day statutes broadly apply to any building, not just a dwelling, though the focus remains on protecting occupancy and or possession. Under the common law as carried over to the American colonies and incorporated into the various state penal laws, burglary is defined as the breaking and entry of the dwelling house of another, ...