§ 3502 — Burglary

Pennsylvania § 3502

• Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
• Title 18: CRIMES AND OFFENSES
• Part: PART II
• Ch. 35: BURGLARY AND OTHER CRIMINAL INTRUSION

Text

(a) Offense defined.--A person commits the offense of burglary if, with the intent to commit a crime therein, the person:

(1) (i) enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof, that is adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense any person is present and the person commits, attempts or threatens to commit a bodily injury crime therein;

(ii) enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense any person is present;

(2) enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense no person is present;

(3) enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is not adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense any person is present; or

(4) enters a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion thereof that is not adapted for overnight accommodations in which at the time of the offense no person is present.

(b) Defense.--It is a defense to prosecution for burglary if any of the following exists at the time of the commission of the offense:

(1) The building or structure was abandoned.

(2) The premises are open to the public.

(3) The actor is licensed or privileged to enter.

(c) Grading.--

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), burglary is a felony of the first degree.

(2) As follows:

(i) Except under subparagraph (ii), an offense under subsection (a)(4) is a felony of the second degree.

(ii) If the actor's intent upon entering the building, structure or portion under subparagraph (i) is to commit theft of a controlled substance or designer drug as those terms are defined in section 2 of the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, burglary is a felony of the first degree.

(d) Multiple convictions.--A person may not be sentenced both for burglary and for the offense which it was his intent to commit after the burglarious entry or for an attempt to commit that offense, unless the additional offense constitutes a felony of the first or second degree.

(d.1) Sentencing enhancement.--The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, in accordance with 42 Pa.C.S. § 2154 (relating to adoption of guidelines for sentencing), shall provide for a sentencing enhancement for courts to consider in cases involving burglary where a domestic animal is harmed or killed in the course of the burglary.

(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Bodily injury crime."As follows:

(1) An act, attempt or threat to commit an act which would constitute a misdemeanor or felony under the following:

Chapter 25 (relating to criminal homicide).

Chapter 27 (relating to assault).

Chapter 29 (relating to kidnapping).

Chapter 31 (relating to sexual offenses).

Section 3301 (relating to arson and related offenses).

Chapter 37 (relating to robbery).

Chapter 49 Subch. B (relating to victim and witness intimidation).

(2) The term includes violations of any protective order issued as a result of an act related to domestic violence.

Legislative History

(Dec. 19, 1990, P.L.1196, No.201, eff. July 1, 1991; July 5, 2012, P.L.1050, No.122, eff. 60 days; Dec. 23, 2013, P.L.1264, No.131, eff. 60 days; Nov. 4, 2016, P.L.1194, No.158, eff. 60 days; July 11, 2022, P.L.719, No.60, eff. 60 days) 2022 Amendment.Act 60 added subsec. (d.1). 2016 Amendment.Act 158 amended subsec. (a)(1) and added subsec. (e). 2013 Amendment.Act 131 amended subsec. (c)(2). Section 3 of Act 131 provided that the amendment shall apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of section 3. Cross References.Section 3502 is referred to in sections 3311, 5702, 5708, 6105 of this title; sections 5552, 6307, 6308, 9714, 9720.7, 9802 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure); section 7122 of Title 61 (Prisons and Parole).