McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Criminal Investigation Criminal Investigation Swanson Chamelin Territo eighth edition THIRTEEN Burglary Investigation

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. BURGLARY TOOLS These tools are often similar to household tools: –crowbars –screwdrivers –modified tools used as lockpicks 13-7

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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 Amount of Loss Percentage of Burglaries No loss Less than $50 $50-$99 $100-$249 $250-$499 $500-$999 $1,000 or more Not known/not available 3.1% (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States-1999 (Washington, DC: U.S> Department of Justice, 2001) p. 75, table 83.)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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 Type of Property Percentage of Burglaries Cash Purse, wallet, credit cards Vehicles or parts (including bicycles) Household furnishings Portable electronics, photography gear, jewelry, clothing Firearms Tools, machinery 6.5% Total62.1% (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization in the United States-1999 (Washington, DC: U.S> Department of Justice, 2001) p. 89, table 84.)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)

McGraw-Hill © 2003, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 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)