Theft and burglary Essay

Theft and Burglary in the Maryland Criminal Code

The Maryland Criminal Code has a clear classification of theft and burglary among other offenses. Because it entails breaking into a location with the intent to take valuable possessions, burglary and theft are closely related. Theft-related offenses are one of the most recent statutes in the majority of civil societies. Depriving someone of their property without the owner’s consent is generally regarded as an act by a person. The Maryland Civil Code has outlined a number of crimes that fit into this category. These include crimes involving trickery or deceit. Considering the case of Adam, there are high chances that he might face conviction of burglary.

The Chances of Conviction for Theft and Burglary in Maryland

Considering the arguments of theft and burglary in Maryland, there are high chances that the defendant might face conviction of this offense. Burglary as a crime has groupings of around four sections according to the Maryland Criminal Codes. Considering the Maryland Criminal Codes, a first-degree burglary involves breaking into a place and having the intention to take property with violence. Based on the charges of Adams, there are chances that the degree of a burglary that he will face conviction in is the third-degree burglary which involves breaking into a house and committing theft (Eck & Weisburd, 2015). Complications might arise in this case because the first witness intentionally left the door open for access without the knowledge that he might be a thief.

Possible Defense for First-Degree Burglary

In order to help the defendant from being convicted on charges of first-degree burglary, one of the cases that might be used to defend him is the fact that there was no breakage of a section of the entrance. According to Brame, Turner & Paternoster, (2015) such a crime can be justifiable based on various grounds. While doing research, it would be possible to identify when the case was committed. The witness who was in the house also did not see the crime being committed. Apart from that, there is also the issue that the offense was redirected to another person reported apart from the original defendant. These grounds are enough to conclude the fact that the respondent does not have a clear case against him.

Potential Charges and Penalties

If found guilty, the defendant can face charges of crimes such as theft, burglary, and crimes of deception based on the incident report. There is evidence of robbery being committed and crime of fraud. The crime of fraud might arise because the defendant deceived the first witness. He knew that the door would be left open when he will be coming in. However, they went against the agreement and called in for another person to help him steal. He might face charges of felony theft. Felony theft is a crime that might lead to up to 15 years in jail as well as a fine that might amount to around 15,000 dollars (Reid, 2015). However, this fine might be higher depending on the amount of property damaged.

Potential Charges for the Defendant

Finally, there are chances that the defendant might face charges of felony theft, burglary, and crime of deception. The charges might be identified depending on the conclusions of the investigations and facts collected. There are ways to determine the nature of crimes committed which in this case points towards the defendant. Also having in mind that he was an ex-convict’s proofs that there are chances that the charges might be higher.

References

Eck, J. E., & Weisburd, D. L. (2015). Crime places in crime theory. New York: Sage Publishers.

Brame, R., Turner, M. G., & Paternoster, R. (2015). Surveying Residential Burglaries: A Case Study of Local-Level Crime Measurement. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 0887403415617807.

Reid, S. T. (2015). Crime and criminology. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.