THIRTEEN

1. THIRTEEN Burglary Investigation

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Be familiar with different types of burglars • Describe appropriate responses to burglaries in progress • Recognized burglary tools • Explain several methods of attacking safes • Identify types of evidence to be collected in safe burglaries • Describe the characteristics of residential burglaries • Understand the investigator's burglary prevention role • Outline strategies for investigating criminal fences and other stolen-property outlets • Describe techniques for reducing the risk for commercial burglary 13-1

3. DIMENSIONS OF BURGLARY NATIONALLY • One is committed every 15 seconds • Two-thirds of all burglaries are of residences • Residential losses average $1,381 and nonresidential $1,615 • Nationally, 64 percent of all burglaries involve forcible entries • In general, residences are attacked at front and businesses at the rear • Burglaries typically happen when premises are unoccupied 13-2(a)

4. DIMENSIONS OF BURGLARY (cont'd) • Homes are usually burglarized during the day and businesses at night • There is little seasonal variation in burglaries • Burglary is a difficult crime to solve • The clearance rate nationally is 13 percent 13-2(b)

5. TYPES OF BURGLARS • The nature of burglary has stayed the same over time • How burglaries are committed has changed • Burglars may be classified according to: • Preferences for premises attacked • Types of property they will steal • Their skill level 13-3

6. PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR BURGLARS • Professional burglars: • plan their burglaries • are seldom arrested • steal large value items • commit only a few offenses per year 13-4(a)

7. PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR BURGLARS (cont'd) • Amateur burglars: • Seldom plan their burglaries • Are frequently arrested • Work in small segments of their city • Seldom have a “big score” • May commit other violent offenses if confronted • Often have lengthy arrest records 13-4(b)

8. THE LAW • The crime of burglary generally consists of the following elements: • breaking and entering • a dwelling house or other building belonging to another • with the intent to commit a crime therein • Burglary and related offenses are classified as crimes against the habitation, dwelling, or building itself; no force need be directed against a person 13-5

9. APPROACHING THE BURGLARY SCENE AND INITIAL ACTIONS • When responding to a burglary-in-progress call, uniformed officers should drive rapidly while avoiding excessive noise • When dispatched to a burglary-in-progress call, the uniformed officer working alone should attempt to coordinate his or her arrival time and position with the backup unit • If a burglary has been committed and the police department has a canine unit, the uniformed officer at the scene should request its presence prior to entering the building 13-6

10. BURGLARY TOOLS • These tools are often similar to household tools: • crowbars • screwdrivers • modified tools used as lockpicks 13-7

11. SURREPTITIOUS ENTRIES • When police cannot establish a point of entry or exit, the burglary entry is surreptitious. It may have been staged by the occupant, a thief who obtained a duplicate key, loiding, or lock picking. 13-8

12. FIRE RESISTANT SAFE • Characteristics of these safes include: • They are built to protect against fire • They are made of light metal • They provide minimal security 13-9

13. MONEY CHEST • Characteristics of the money chest include: • They are built to protect against burglary • They have thick walls and a strong round door • They provide reasonably good security 13-10

14. METHODS OF ATTACKING SAFES • Burglars use a variety of methods to attack safes including: • The punch • Pulling • The peel • The rip • Blasting • Drilling • Burning • Manipulation • The pry • The carry off 13-11

15. EVIDENCE TO BE COLLECTED IN SAFE BURGLARY • Types of evidence an investigator may collect in safe burglary cases include: • Broken parts of burglary tools • Bold cutters from the suspect's home • Slag seized at the scene of a burning job 13-12(a)

16. EVIDENCE TO BE COLLECTED IN SAFE BURGLARY (cont'd) • DNA evidence from burglars sweat bands or blood left at the scene • Latent fingerprints at the scene • Particles of safe insulation on the burglar's person or clothes 13-12(b)

17. CHARACTERISTICS OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY • Residential burglaries are primarily committed during the day, with the front door being the point of attack • Black homeowners are victimized at a higher rate than any other group • The younger the head of a household is, the more likely that the residence will be burglarized • The losses associated with residential burglaries are not intrinsically significant 13-13

18. HOME BURGLARY LOSSES • Most residential burglaries result in relatively low amounts of value lost • Most of the low amount-lost burglaries are committed by amateurs • Even low amount-lost burglaries can create fear in homeowners (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States-1999 (Washington, DC: U.S> Department of Justice, 2001) p. 75, table 83.) 13-14

19. PROPERTY FREQUENTLY TAKEN FROM RESIDENCES • Many items taken in burglaries are found in the owner's bedroom • Garages and storage sheds are often the locations of larger property stolen for fences (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States-1999 (Washington, DC: U.S> Department of Justice, 2001) p. 89, table 84.) 13-15

20. FENCES • Those who knowingly purchase stolen goods at a fraction of its actual worth and then resell it for a considerable profit, but still at a good deal to the buyer 13-16

21. TYPES OF FENCES • There are numerous types of fences • Amateurs • Store owners and individuals who often only but the goods for which they have placed an order with the thief • Professionals • Occasional or opportunistic fences • Providers of illicit goods and services • Technology proficient thieves and fences who do their business on the internet 13-7(a)

22. TYPES OF FENCES (cont'd) • The police know that the more that receiver markets can be disrupted or eliminated, the greater the likelihood that there will be some reduction in burglary • Police “sting” operations are an effective means of: • combating fences • identifying active criminals • penetrating criminal organizations • recovering property 13-17(b)

23. STING OPERATION • An effective means of combating fences, undercover officers set up a legitimate appearing business or other type of location in which they slowly gain a reputation of being a fence. Transactions are videotaped. Property is recovered, other fences are identified, and ultimately thieves began talking openly about criminal matters, creating an important intelligence source. 13-18

24. PAWN SHOPS • Pawnshops are seen by many as part of fencing operations • Some cities have passed laws to help regulate pawn shops • Those same laws help to reduce the number of pawnshops acting as fences © D. Boone/Corbis 13-19

25. THE INVESTIGATORS ROLE IN BURGLARY PREVENTION • Investigators should tell the burglary victim how to reduce their chances of being re-victimized • For example, if residents are going on vacation they should: • Stop mail and newspaper delivery • Use timers for household lights and radios • Ask a trusted neighbor to report suspicious activity to the police 13-20(a)

26. THE INVESTIGATORS ROLE IN BURGLARY PREVENTION (cont'd) • For day-to-day home security residents should be encouraged to: • Install motion-sensor lights • Install dead-bolt locks • Avoid placing valuables where they can be seen • Don’t leave ladders or tools laying around 13-20(b)

27. REDUCING COMMERCIAL BURGLARY • Business owners should be encouraged to: • Prevent easy access to their roofs • Secure all vents and roof openings • Use security-providing locks, frames, and doors 13-21(a)

28. REDUCING COMMERCIAL BURGLARY (cont'd) • Light the exterior of their buildings • Employ alarm systems and surveillance cameras • Use money chests rather than fire-resistant safes • Periodically assess their office security measures 13-21(b)