Burglary has been one of the most frequently committed crime throughout all communities in the U.S. The most resent update in 2010 accounted for the percentage of 23.8 of the estimated number of property crimes committed in the United States. The meaning of burglary may vary, usually it means a crime of an unlawful breaking into and entering the dwelling of another with felonious intent. Usually Burglary is committed for the purpose of robbery However, status of housebreaking may vary from state to state. In order for a break-in to be pursued as a burglary, the person breaking in must have unlawfully force their way inside a building. Usually, this crime is theft, but other crimes can render a break-in a burglary as well. Burglary has been a crime that have been around for a long time. Originally it had developed under the common law, but states have incorporated the basic idea of burglary into their penal codes.…show more content… Most states have subsequently broadened the definition of burglary to include businesses and illegal entries during the day. Burglary developed to protect a person's interest in their home and to prevent violence, not to protect against theft. Other laws criminalize the taking of property; instead, burglary is meant to safeguard the sanctity of a person's home and to protect against the possible violence that could arise if someone discovers a burglar in their house. In most states burglary is used as the same basic definition such as an unauthorized breaking or entry, into an occupied structure or building, or with the intent to commit a crime