Which statement best describes burglary?

• A. Burglary involves forcing entry into a structure.
• B. Burglary is unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime.
• C. Robbery requires obtaining property with consent.
• D. Larceny involves entering a structure to steal.

Answer: (B)

Burglary hinges on two elements: unlawful entry into a structure and the intent to commit a crime inside. The key idea is that the crime is defined by entering without permission and with the purpose to commit a felony or theft once inside, not by the specific act of forcing entry. Entry can be non-forcible; what matters is that it’s unauthorized and accompanied by criminal intent upon entering. That’s why the description of unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime best fits burglary.

The other statements describe different scenarios: forcing entry is only one possible way some burglary occurs, while robbery involves taking property from a person through force or intimidation, and larceny is theft without necessarily entering a structure.