Burglary is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of unlawfully entering somewhere with the intent to commit another crime. Generally, that secondary crime is Theft, but it technically be any other crime. There seems to be a new spree of criminal activity in Colorado police are calling ‘smash and grab.’ Pairs or groups of people are no subtly breaking into business to steal from them. Recently, a barbershop was the victim of a smash and grab, after a car drove through the front of the store. Surveillance showed three people exiting the vehicle and going inside to take an unknown amount of money and product. While no one has been arrested in connection with this event, its likely if caught, the three people will be facing charges of Second Degree Burglary.
Larimer County Burglary Lawyer: How is Second Degree Burglary Charged in Colorado?
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Second Degree Burglary – C.R.S. 18-4-203 – is:
There are two elements to Burglary:
- Trespassing in a building or structure; and
- Intending to commit a crime in said building or structure.
For the three people above, driving through the front of the building would definitely constitute an unlawful entry. Then taking the goods would be Theft – the crime they intended to commit after entering.
Sentence for Smash and Grab Second Degree Burglary in Loveland
In Loveland and Fort Collins, Second Degree Burglary is a class 4 felony if the building is a commercial business (like the barbershop). It is a class 3 felony if it is a Burglary of a home, the object of the Burglary is the Theft of drugs or firearms.