I recently had a salesman come to my door trying to sell me an alarm system. Normally, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but when he was reading the statistics about home break-ins in the Larimer County area, it made me think twice. It also made me think about how there are multiple crimes related to breaking into someone’s house. Let’s take a look at the felony and misdemeanor crimes related to breaking and entering.
Larimer County Burglary Lawyer: What is Burglary and Breaking In?
The intrusion into someone’s home by another is usually charged as a Burglary (C.R.S. 18-4-202, 203, 204) in Colorado. Burglary is defined as the entering or remaining unlawfully on the private property of another with the intent to commit a crime therein. The important part of this statue is the intent. If someone just breaks into your house in Fort Collins, Wellington, or Loveland, but does not take anything or try to commit another crime, then it is not technically Burglary. If they commit misdemeanor theft or felony theft while inside your home, then it’s it is Burglary.
First Degree Trespassing Charges in Boulder County: What is Trespassing?
So, if a person breaks in or unlawfully enters, but doesn’t commit or try to commit another crime while there, what charge could they be facing? First Degree Criminal Trespass – C.R.S. 18-4-502. In Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County, First Degree Criminal Trespass is defined as when someone unlawfully enters or remains in the house or enclosed area of another.
Trespassing and Burglary in Loveland: The Specifics of the Law are Important
The difference between these two laws serves as reminder of how particular our criminal law’s language can be in Colorado and how an experienced lawyer in the Fort Collins area is needed to help you through the legal process. If a person breaks into a home to steal a 70-inch plasma HDTV, that would be a felony. However, if the same person broke into a home and was only looking around to see if you even had a large TV, then that person would only be charged with First Degree Criminal Trespass, which is a class 5 felony charge.