Washington State Burglary and Vehicle Prowling Statutes

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Burg & Lantz: WA Criminal Defense
Burg & Lantz: WA Criminal Defense

Give Us A Call: 206-467-3190

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If you, or someone you know, has been charged with Washington State burglary or vehicle prowl offense the government must prove the elements required under the Washington State criminal statute of the offense.

Washington State burglary may be committed in different ways, but is a felony. Vehicle prowl may be either a misdemeanor or felony.

If you have any questions about the elements of the Washington State burglary statutes, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation.

Revised Code of Washington Statutes

Below is Revised Code of Washington Statutes (what the Washington State government most prove beyond a reasonable doubt to convict you of this crime):

9A.52.010 Definitions

The following definitions apply in this chapter:

(1) "Premises" includes any building, dwelling, structure used for commercial aquaculture, or any real property;

(2) "Enter". The word "enter" when constituting an element or part of a crime, shall include the entrance of the person, or the insertion of any part of his body, or any instrument or weapon held in his hand and used or intended to be used to threaten or intimidate a person or to detach or remove property;

(3) "Enters or remains unlawfully". A person "enters or remains unlawfully" in or upon premises when he is not then licensed, invited, or otherwise privileged to so enter or remain. A license or privilege to enter or remain in a building which is only partly open to the public is not a license or privilege to enter or remain in that part of a building which is not open to the public. A person who enters or remains upon unimproved and apparently unused land, which is neither fenced nor otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders, does so with license and privilege unless notice against trespass is personally communicated to him by the owner of the land or some other authorized person, or unless notice is given by posting in a conspicuous manner. Land that is used for commercial aquaculture or for growing an agricultural crop or crops, other than timber, is not unimproved and apparently unused land if a crop or any other sign of cultivation is clearly visible or if notice is given by posting in a conspicuous manner. Similarly, a field fenced in any manner is not unimproved and apparently unused land. A license or privilege to enter or remain on improved and apparently used land that is open to the public at particular times, which is neither fenced nor otherwise enclosed in a manner to exclude intruders, is not a license or privilege to enter or remain on the land at other times if notice of prohibited times of entry is posted in a conspicuous manner;

(4) "Data" means a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions that are being prepared or have been prepared in a formalized manner and are intended for use in a computer;

(5) "Computer program" means an ordered set of data representing coded instructions or statements that when executed by a computer cause the computer to process data;

(6) "Access" means to approach, instruct, communicate with, store data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer, directly or by electronic means.

9A.52.020 Burglary in the First Degree

(1) A person is guilty of burglary in the first degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a building and if, in entering or while in the building or in immediate flight therefrom, the actor or another participant in the crime (a) is armed with a deadly weapon, or (b) assaults any person.

(2) Burglary in the first degree is a class A felony.

9A.52.025 Residential Burglary

(1) A person is guilty of residential burglary if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, the person enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling other than a vehicle.

(2) Residential burglary is a class B felony. In establishing sentencing guidelines and disposition standards, the sentencing guidelines commission and the juvenile disposition standards commission shall consider residential burglary as a more serious offense than second degree burglary.

9A.52.030 Burglary in the Second Degree

(1) A person is guilty of burglary in the second degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he enters or remains unlawfully in a building other than a vehicle or a dwelling.

(2) Burglary in the second degree is a class B felony.

9A.52.040 Inference of Intent

In any prosecution for burglary, any person who enters or remains unlawfully in a building may be inferred to have acted with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, unless such entering or remaining shall be explained by evidence satisfactory to the trier of fact to have been made without such criminal intent.

9A.52.050 Other Crime in Committing Burglary Punishable

Every person who, in the commission of a burglary shall commit any other crime, may be punished therefore as well as for the burglary, and may be prosecuted for each crime separately.

9A.52.060 Making or Having Burglar Tools

(1) Every person who shall make or mend or cause to be made or mended, or have in his possession, any engine, machine, tool, false key, pick lock, bit, nippers, or implement adapted, designed, or commonly used for the commission of burglary under circumstances evincing an intent to use or employ, or allow the same to be used or employed in the commission of a burglary, or knowing that the same is intended to be so used, shall be guilty of making or having burglar tools.

(2) Making or having burglar tools is a gross misdemeanor.

9A.52.095 Vehicle Prowling in the First Degree

(1) A person is guilty of vehicle prowling in the first degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he enters or remains unlawfully in a motor home, as defined in RCW 46.04.305, or in a vessel equipped for propulsion by mechanical means or by sail which has a cabin equipped with permanently installed sleeping quarters or cooking facilities.

(2) Vehicle prowling in the first degree is a class C felony.

9A.52.100 Vehicle Prowling in the Second Degree

(1) A person is guilty of vehicle prowling in the second degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he enters or remains unlawfully in a vehicle other than a motor home, as defined in RCW 46.04.305, or a vessel equipped for propulsion by mechanical means or by sail which has a cabin equipped with permanently installed sleeping quarters or cooking facilities.

(2) Vehicle prowling in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor.

9A.52.110 Computer Trespass in the First Degree

(1) A person is guilty of computer trespass in the first degree if the person, without authorization, intentionally gains access to a computer system or electronic database of another; and

(a) The access is made with the intent to commit another crime; or

(b) The violation involves a computer or database maintained by a government agency.

(2) Computer trespass in the first degree is a class C felony.

9A.52.120 Computer Trespass in the Second Degree

(1) A person is guilty of computer trespass in the second degree if the person, without authorization, intentionally gains access to a computer system or electronic database of another under circumstances not constituting the offense in the first degree.

(2) Computer trespass in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor.

9A.52.130 Computer Trespass — Commission of Other Crime

A person who, in the commission of a computer trespass, commits any other crime may be punished for that other crime as well as for the computer trespass and may be prosecuted for each crime separately.

Facing a Criminal Charge in Washington State?

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