Legal Definitions - burglar

A burglar is an individual who unlawfully enters or remains in a building or dwelling with the specific intention of committing a crime inside. While often associated with theft, the intended crime could be any felony, assault, or other offense, depending on the specific laws of the jurisdiction.

Here are some examples to illustrate the term:

• Example 1: A person uses a pry bar to force open the back door of a closed restaurant late at night, intending to steal cash from the register. This individual is a burglar because they unlawfully entered a commercial building with the intent to commit theft.

• Example 2: An individual climbs through an unlocked window of an unoccupied vacation home, planning to spend the night there and take some food from the pantry. Even if they don't intend to steal valuable items, they are a burglar because they unlawfully entered a dwelling with the intent to commit a crime (in this case, theft of food and potentially trespassing with intent to reside).

• Example 3: A disgruntled former employee uses a stolen key to enter their old office building after hours, intending to delete critical company data from the servers. This person is a burglar because they unlawfully entered a building with the intent to commit a crime (destruction of property/data sabotage), even though their primary goal was not to steal physical items.