4 ms·

It does affect the crime though and is a big difference. If the door is closed and locked it is breaking and entering which is a felony that brings prison time

• mikeryan 16y ago
  Nope, picking a lock and entering a house and entering a house with an unlocked door is the same crime the only differences between trespass and burglary are based on the intent with which you enter and what you do once you get there. Its also a lot easier to prove intent if you break a window or pick a lock. Do you really think a criminal who walks up to a house with a lock pick in hand and then finds the door unlocked gets charged with a lesser crime? From Legal Dictionary's entry on "Breaking and Entering" "The criminal act of entering a residence or other enclosed property through the slightest amount of force (even pushing open a door), without authorization. If there is intent to commit a crime, this is burglary. If there is no such intent, the breaking and entering alone is probably at least illegal trespass, which is a misdemeanor crime. 2) the criminal charge for the above."
  • bugsy 16y ago
    What do you mean "nope", you just repeated what I said!