Robbery or Burglary in Pennsylvania

Michael DiCindio | February 28, 2016 | Burglary

Robbery or Burglary in Pennsylvania

Many people commonly describe their home being broken into as “them getting robbed.” What many do not know is that, generally, this scenario in Pennsylvania is legally a Burglary. Whether a crime is a robbery or a burglary in Pennsylvania boils down to the specific facts involved.

A burglary in Pennsylvania occurs when an individual enters a building without permission and with the intent to commit a crime within. A robbery in Pennsylvania is able to be boiled down to a person using some level of force, or threat of force, during the course of committing a theft. Therefore, if your home is broken into, and your things are stolen, but you are not there or involved – you were not “robbed.”

There, of course, are different factual scenarios that would fit each crime depending on the circumstances, further, there are different variations within the statutes for each (the statutes can be found below). In the end, it is important to know that whether you or someone you love has been charged with robbery or burglary in Pennsylvania and the differences between each.  The defenses differ for both, but there is no doubt they are facing heavy potential penalties and a felony being on their record. Contact DiCindio Law, LLC to speak to Mike DiCindio directly and begin preparing your defense today.
 
18 Pa.C.S § 3701.  Robbery.
(a)  Offense defined.
(1)  A person is guilty of robbery if, in the course of committing a theft, he:
(i)  inflicts serious bodily injury upon another;
(ii)  threatens another with or intentionally puts him in fear of immediate serious bodily injury;
(iii)  commits or threatens immediately to commit any felony of the first or second degree;
(iv)  inflicts bodily injury upon another or threatens another with or intentionally puts him in fear of immediate bodily injury;
(v)  physically takes or removes property from the person of another by force however slight; or
(vi)  takes or removes the money of a financial institution without the permission of the financial institution by making a demand of an employee of the financial institution orally or in writing with the intent to deprive the financial institution thereof.
(2)  An act shall be deemed “in the course of committing a theft” if it occurs in an attempt to commit theft or in flight after the attempt or commission.
(3)  For purposes of this subsection, a “financial institution” means a bank, trust company, savings trust, credit union or similar institution.
 
18 Pa.C.S. § 3502.  Burglary.
(a)  Offense defined.–A person commits the offense of burglary if, with the intent to commit a crime therein, the person:
(1)  enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense any person is present;
(2)  enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense no person is present;
(3)  enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is not adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense any person is present; or
(4)  enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is not adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense no person is present.
(b)  Defense.–It is a defense to prosecution for burglary if any of the following exists at the time of the commission of the offense:
(1)  The building or structure was abandoned.
(2)  The premises are open to the public.
(3)  The actor is licensed or privileged to enter.