 | The examples and perspective in this articledeal primarily with the United States and the United Kingdom and do not represent aworldwide view of the subject. You mayimprove this article, discuss the issue on thetalk page, orcreate a new article, as appropriate.(March 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 |
| Criminal law |
|---|
| Elements |
| Scope of criminalliability |
| Severity of offense |
|
| Inchoate offenses |
| Offense against the person |
|
| Sexual offenses |
| Crimes against property |
| Crimes against justice |
| Crimes against the public |
| Crimes against animals |
| Crimes against the state |
| Defenses to liability |
| Other common-law areas |
| Portals |
Property crime is a category ofcrime, usually involvingprivate property, that includes, among other crimes,burglary,larceny,theft,motor vehicle theft,arson,shoplifting, andvandalism. Property crime is a crime to obtain money, property, or some other benefit. This may involve force, or the threat of force, in cases like robbery or extortion. Since these crimes are committed in order to enrich the perpetrator they are considered property crimes. Crimes against property are divided into two groups: destroyed property and stolen property. When property is destroyed, it could be called arson or vandalism. Examples of the act of stealing property is robbery orembezzlement.
Property crimes are high-volume crimes, with cash, electronics (e.g. televisions),power tools,cameras, andjewelry often targeted.[1] "Hot products" tend to be items that are concealable, removable, available, valuable, and enjoyable, with an ease of "disposal" being the most important characteristic.[2]
Arson involves any intentional fire setting or attempting to set fire. It is also considered arson if one burns one's own property. A frequent motive for arson isinsurance fraud, with the fire staged to appear accidental.[3] Other motives for arson include desire to commit vandalism or mischief, for thrill or excitement, for revenge, to conceal other crimes, or as ahate crime.[4] The Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996 was established to protect places of worship.
Burglary of residences, retail establishments, and other commercial facilities involves breaking and entering, and stealing property. Attempted forcible entry into a property is also classified as burglary, in theFBI'sUniform Crime Reports (UCR) definition.
As of 1999, there were 1.4 million residential burglaries reported in the United States, which was a record low number, not seen since 1966.[5] Though, up to 50% of burglaries are not reported to thepolice.[5] Theclearance rate for burglary is low, with only 12.7% of cases being solved in the United States in 2005,[6] and 23% in theUnited Kingdom.[5]
In the United States, burglary rates are highest in August and lowest in February, with weather, length-of-day, and other factors having an effect on rates.[5] Fall and Winter are peak seasons for burglary inDenmark.[7] Most residential burglaries occur onweekdays, between 10 and 11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m, when homes are the least likely to be occupied.[5] The temporal pattern is reversed for non-residential burglaries, which are more likely to occur at night and on weekends when commercial premises are unattended.[8]
Burglary at single-family homeconstruction sites is an increasing problem in theUnited States,Canada,Australia, Europe, andJapan, and elsewhere in the world, with burglary of tools and equipment at residential subdivision construction sites comprising between 5 and 20 percent of building costs.[9] In the United States, equipment worth $300 million to $1 billion is stolen each year.[10] Large-scale tract developers are hardest hit by this form of crime.[11] In 2019 alone, American homes and businesses sustained nearly $13 billion worth of damage or loss from burglaries.Distraction burglary is a form of burglary where the offender(s) trick or dupe the occupant or distract them, allowing co-offender(s) to gain access and commit burglary.[12] The elderly are particularly vulnerable to distraction burglary.[12]
Somecrime prevention programs, such asNeighborhood Watch, have shown little effectiveness in reducing burglary and other crime,[5] though can be effective when at least some community participants are home during the weekdays, thus avoiding any large gaps in the Neighborhood Watch during the peak residential property crime hours of 10am to 11am and 1pm to 3pm.[citation needed]
Extortion is the use of threats to obtain the property of another person. Some threats may include: future harm, destroying one's property, injuring one's character or reputation, or death.
Theft of cash is most common, over everything else, followed by vehicle parts, clothing, and tools.[2]
In 2005, only 18% of reported cases of larceny/theft werecleared in the United States.[6]
Shoplifting is a specific type of theft, with products taken fromretail shops without paying. Items popular with shoplifters includecigarettes,alcoholic beverages, andfashionableclothing.[2]
Bicycle theft is a crime involving theft of a bicycle. Those looking to steal bikes can use a variety of different methods in order to do so.
Embezzlement is the unlawful taking of property by someone whom it was entrusted to. For example, if a named person trusts their friend enough to allow them to hold their wallet, and the friend goes home without returning the wallet with the intention of keeping the money, the friend would have committed embezzlement.
Larceny is the unlawful taking of another person's property with the intention to deprive the owner of it. If the stolen object is above a large value, then it is considered a felony and is called a grand theft. A petty theft is stealing an object with small value which would pass as a misdemeanor. If a person has a lost item in possession, and a reasonable method exists for finding the owner, they must return it or it would be considered larceny. For example, if one finds a wallet with an ID in it, it is their duty to find a method to return it to the owner. Shoplifting and attempted shoplifting fall under this category.
Motor vehicle theft is a common form of property crime, often perpetrated by youths forjoyriding. The FBI includes attempted motor vehicle thefts in its Uniform Crime Report (UCR) definition. About 15-20% of motor vehicle thefts are committed for theirauto parts or with an intent of re-selling them on theblack market.[13]Crime prevention and target-hardening measures, such ascar alarms andignition locks, have been effective deterrents against motor vehicle theft, as have been practices such as etchingVINs on car parts.[13]
Only 13% of reported motor vehicle theft cases were cleared in the United States in 2005.[6]
Some car types are more popular with thieves, withsports cars often being preferred by those stealing cars for joyriding.[2]Sport utility vehicles also have higher rates of theft, with theCadillac Escalade cited in 2003 by theHighway Data Loss Institute as having the most frequent theft claims in the United States.[14]
Construction vehicles are also often stolen, as they can easily be re-sold in the second-hand market.[2]
Robbery is the unlawful taking of property from a person's immediate possession through using force of intimidation.
Vandalism is the willful destruction or damage to a person's property. There are millions of damage every year. Some examples include: breaking windows, ripping down mailboxes, throwing eggs, graffiti, etc.
Mailbox baseball or mailboxing is an activity in which abaseball bat or other object is used to knock over, dent, or smash roadsidemailboxes by a passenger in a car. It can be played either as a game, with score kept in a manner similar tobaseball, or played simply for aimless fun. In either case it is an act ofvandalism anddestruction of other peoples' property.
Mailbox baseball is depicted in several films and television shows, such asStand by Me,The Benchwarmers,Dazed and Confused,Freaks and Geeks,21 Jump Street,CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 9, episode 7; "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda"),Ghost Whisperer,The Simpsons,Family Guy, andThe X-Files.
Damaging, destroying or tampering with mail boxes or with the US mail is afederal crime, punishable by a fine and/or up to three years of imprisonment.[15]
Criminal law is designed to maintainsocial order and to protect the authority of thestate. Incapitalist societies, criminal law is also important in protecting personalproperty and creating a positive environment foreconomic activity.
In 1473,Carrier's Case inEngland set aprecedent for criminal law in establishing a right for protecting private property. The English court ruled against those who transported merchandise on behalf of others and wrongfully kept that merchandise, stating that it constituted acrime oflarceny. The court recognized the importance of protecting property rights, in creating an environment for the Englishmercantile system to thrive.[16][17]
In the United States, burglary is considered afelony, and theFederal Bureau of Investigation counts burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson inUniform Crime Reports statistics.[18]
To pay for the damages for repair or replacement. The judge may direct the offender to find or maintain employment.
Money paid to the court which can range from hundreds to thousands.
Must perform specific tasks (school, work, see a counselor etc.).
Similar to probation.
This can be full-time, weekends, or enhanced supervision.
In 2004, 12% of households in theUnited States experienced some type of property crime, with theft being the most common.[19] The percentage of U.S. households that experienced property crime dropped from 21% in 1994 to 12% in 2004.[19] InFinland, a marked decrease in adolescents committing property crimes also occurred from 1995 to 2004.[20]
TheUnited Kingdom similarly experienced large decreases in property crime, with motor vehicle theft and domestic burglary decreasing 24%, and burglaries, thefts from auto, and other thefts decreasing 45% from 1995 to 2004.[21] From 2001 to 2004,New South Wales inAustralia experienced a marked decrease in property crimes, with rates of motor vehicle theft declining by 39%, among other declining trends in property crime.[22]
From 1996 to 2005, the number of arrests in the United States for property crime has declined by 22.1%. The decline is far larger for offenders under age 18, with a decrease of 43.8% in property crime arrests, compared to a 9.5% decrease for those 18 and over.[23] The peak age for property crimearrests in theUnited States is 16, compared to 18 for violent crime arrests.[24]
Situational factors or characteristics of the building environment may make it a more tempting target for offenders.[25] Situational factors can be altered by property owners to make a property less desirable as a target of opportunity for potential offenders. According torational choice theory, criminals weigh costs/risks and benefits in deciding whether or not to take advantage of a crime opportunity.[26]
The permeability of residential neighborhoods, or accessibility to outside traffic, is another factor. The proximity of residential areas to main arterial roads is similarly a factor, as such roads tend to be most familiar to criminals and people in general. Criminals tend not to venture too far from familiar places.[27]
Burglars who take cash and jewelry tend to travel on foot, selecting targets close to a busy city center, whereas burglars that target electronics often will travel by car, tending to favor targets in suburban areas.[28]
Propertycrime control strategies in most English-speakingdemocracies take aBentham approach, with focus onpunishment anddeterrence.[29]Imprisonment punishment also serves to incapacitateoffenders for some period of time from re-offending.
The expression "offence against property" is used as a term of art in section 3 of theVisiting Forces Act 1952 (15 & 16 Geo.6 & 1 Eliz.2 c.67) and is defined for that purpose by paragraphs3 (England and Wales andNorthern Ireland) and4 (Scotland) of the Schedule to that Act
In the application of section 3 of the 1952 Act to England and Wales and to Northern Ireland it means any offence punishable under any of the following enactments:
In the application of the section 3 of the 1952 Act to Scotland it means any of the following offences:
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Media related toProperty crimes at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
