Breaking and Entering

Regardless of your intent or ignorance about the situation, anytime you enter a building that is not yours without permission, you could potentially be charged with breaking and entering. Unfortunately, many people are charged with this simply because they were lost, confused, or unsure of their surroundings.

Breaking and entering, also called burglary, is the crime of illegally entering a building with the intent to commit a crime inside. The building does not have to be a house or business; it can be someone's shed, boathouse, garage, car, etc. Also, the intentional crime does not have to be theft. You can break in and enter into a structure to commit the crime of arson, destruction of property, etc.

Even though the legal term is “breaking and entering,” a burglar does not always have to actually break something to gain illegal entry into a structure. The door might be unlocked, but the person may still be going into the building without permission.

In the United States, burglary is often charged as a felony or misdemeanor. Also, if the crime occurred at night, it is usually considered to be a more severe crime.

Burglary vs. Robbery

Although burglary and robbery seem fairly similar, they have one distinct difference. A robber uses force or fear to gain control of another person's property, while a burglary can be done with no victims present, for the most part.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been charged with burglary and is now in jail, you should consult expert legal counsel to help with jail release. For more information on breaking and entering, as well as other legal information, contact Austin jail release lawyer Ian Inglis today at 512-472-1950.