Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring & Wheaton, Maryland
As a Rockville burglary lawyer, Leon Geller often hears clients group the terms “burglary,” “theft” and “robbery” under the same umbrella. These people have the initial concept correct when saying that all three are loosely defined as taking or attempting to take somebody else’s property without permission. However, each of these three offenses comes with their own differences.
Theft
By definition, theft is when you take something of value without the owner’s permission, with the intention of never giving it back. Theft generally includes taking money or physical goods, like electronics or jewelry.
Under Maryland Laws, theft is a legal term that encompasses shoplifting, larceny, false pretenses and receiving stolen property with penalties that directly correlate to the cost or value of the stolen items.
Burglary
Burglary involves creating an opening (of a door or window for example) and entering a building or residence unlawfully. You can even be convicted without actually ever committing a crime—the breaking in and entering alone can be enough to convict you.
In Maryland, there are four degrees of burglary with first being the most severe and fourth being the least.
Robbery
Similar to theft, robbery includes taking something of value without permission. However, robbery involves taking something from someone else by using force or the threat of force. Robbery is a violent crime, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the victim sustains injuries. It can be enough to commit a robbery using any type of force, empty threats included, to take property from the victim.
Need Advice? Attorney Geller Can Help!
If you have been accused of a crime in Rockville and need the assistance of an experienced burglary lawyer, contact the law office of Leon A. Geller online or at 301-327-2572 to discuss your case for free. Attorney Geller welcomes clients from throughout Maryland, including Gaithersburg, Silver Spring and Wheaton.
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