Burglary

Smith, who has had too much to drink, makes his way to the pub loo at 8pm, where he is overtaken by the effects of gravity, and he falls asleep in a cubicle.   He wakes at 2.40 am and steals a large vase from the loo window. He then makes his way into the bar to see what he can steal.   He passes through the bar and into the lounge where he pockets an ashtray. He changes his mind and replaces the ashtray. He then goes through a door and finds himself in the private quarters and hurries out as he has woken the landlord up. He finds a bike in the rear porch and makes off with the bike. At what point, if any, is a Section 9 (1)(a) burglary completed?

Jones is walking along the canal bank and approaches a house boat. The owners, who ordinarily live on board are on holiday in France. He enters the boat to see what he can steal and makes off with a small Tv set. Is he guilty of a Section 9[1][a] burglary?

Smith goes into the supermarket as the store is closing and hides in a dark corner of the store. The store closes and he helps himself to a case of whisky and makes off. Is he guilty of Burglary?

Davis is out at night and is freezing. He breaks into a house and puts on the electric fire and thaws himself out for an hour or two. He leaves when it gets light. Is he guilty of burglary?

Davis returns to the house he broke into and takes the car from the garage, he drives around town showing his mates his new wheels. He runs out of petrol and abandons the vehicle. Is he guilty of burglary?

Smith enters the “staff only” door of a supermarket. He enters a small office and makes his way into the main office. Whilst in the office he steals a laptop. Before leaving through the back door he is challenged by a member of staff whom he assaults causing GBH. He then makes off. At what point, if any, is a Section 9[1][a] burglary offence committed?

Brown and Green break into a church at night. They enter the sacraments room to see if there is anything worth stealing. Green at once pockets a chalice, but is challenged by Brown who says, you can’t nick that, it’s not right, it’s church stuff. They leave the chalice behind. They leave the room and steal money from the poor box. At what point. if any, do the commit a section 9[1][a] burglary?

mith and Jones, who are both armed with flick knives, are making their way along the canal bank when they see a narrow boat tied up at the bank. The owners are on holiday in Germany. They pop their heads through an open window to see if there’s anything worth stealing. They are interrupted by some walkers and run off. What offence, if any, is committed?

Green falls asleep amongst stacked boxes in a shop. He wakes up after the shop has closed. He tries to make his way out but all doors are locked. He steals some cheap jewellery, then makes his way into the back room to try to get out, again, the door is locked which he damages trying to escape. He goes into the staff room to see if there is anything worth stealing but it is empty. He then goes into the toilet, smashes a window and escapes. At what point is a Section 9 [1][a] burglary committed?

Mark enters a shop and notices the assistant disappearing into a staff room. He goes behind the counter intending to steal lottery tickets when he hears the assistant return. He resumes his place in front of the counter, buys cigarettes and leaves. Has Mark committed an offence?

Norris enters a supermarket and walks through a door marked ‘staff only’. He uses a store ‘phone to talk to a friend. He takes a pedal cycle intending to cycle home on it and then abandon it, but notices that it has a puncture, so changes his mind. At what point, if any, does he commit burglary?

Smithy goes into a caravan park and enters no 12, an uninhabited caravan containing caravan supplies for residents. He nicks some tools, then moves to the inhabited caravans. He rightly guesses that no 17 is presently empty. He enters to see what he can steal, but finds nothing worth stealing. He then enters no 22 to see if that caravan has more hope, sure enough he nicks a purse then runs off. At what point does Smithy commit a section 9(1)(a) burglary?

Keith pushes a pole through a shop letterbox interning to steal, and manages to hook a shirt. He cannot get the shirt through the letterbox. He is disturbed and makes off. Has a Theft Act offence been committed?

Burglary. What does a building not include?

Davies takes a magnetic pole out which he uses to enter houses and steal electrical goods, without entering himself. What offence is committed when he uses it?

Jones lives on a houseboat. He spends each winter in Spain. Whilst away, his boat is entered and goods stolen. Is this burglary?

Jones breaks into a house and has with him a large Jemmy which he intends to use to open the locked front door. In doing so, he causes considerable damage. He is discovered by the householder whom he threatens with the Jemmy in order to effect an escape. Whilst he escapes, he bashes the owners small dog on the head, resulting in serious injury. What offence is this?

Brian is in possession of a flick knife when he breaks into a canal boat at night. The occupant is asleep. He then looks about to see what he can steal. He finds a wallet which he tries to put in his bag, but in the dark, he stumbles over the cat, drops the wallet, and disturbs the occupant who wakes up. Brian runs off leaving the wallet behind. He takes nothing with him and no one is injured. What offence is this?

Roy is in the local library returning books when he notices that the ‘Staff only’ door is not quite shut. He enters to have a look around. The room is empty. He opens a handbag he finds under a desk, at which point he is disturbed by the manager. A tussle ensues. Roy picks up a heavy metal bracket and swipes at the manager intending to smash his head in. The manager ducks and overpowers Brian. The police are called and Brian is arrested. What offence is this?

Charlie goes into a pub. After too many drinks he goes to the loo, where he falls asleep. An hour after closing time, he is woken by the licensee who drags him into the pub. They begin to fight resulting in Charlie inflicting ABH on the landlord. On the way out, Charlie picks up an axe and smashes the door lock to effect an escape. Which of the following is committed?