Review how burglaries are classified in the reading assignment in the textbook reading assignment. Then,
respond to the following scenario.
You are assigned to investigate a reported burglary at 323 Braun Elder Street. The homeowner, Lauri Pike,
tells you someone entered her home between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. and removed her flat
screen television, laptop, iPad and other electronic devices which were in the living room. She says she went
to bed around 9:00 p.m. and had locked all of the doors. She didn’t hear anything. Pike got up at 5:00 a.m. and
discovered her back door open (not forced) and the items missing.
Based on your research of burglary statutes and the investigative processes for burglaries, respond to the
following.
- List your state’s (New Mexico, USA) statute and the elements that must be proven for this scenario. (Check
your state’s criminal laws here.) - Develop four questions that you would ask the victim that would be important to prove a crime has been
committed. - Describe two areas that you would search, the rationale for doing so and the potential evidence you might
find. Include what you need to legally search for evidence. - Do you believe burglars should be punished according to a specific classification? Why or why not?
- Should a burglar who enters a home for the purpose of
stealing property be sentenced differently from the burglar that entered a business or vehicle for the same
purpose? Does your state differentiate? Explain your rationale.