Burglary of a Safe in California

There are many different versions of crimes involving theft. Based on the context of the crime, these charges of theft also carry varying levels of penalization. One form of theft is burglary, which is separated from general forms of theft in California law and also by the different forms of burglary. According to California Penal Code 464 PC, it is illegal to burglarize a safe with explosives or other torch devices. The penal code refers to both safes and vaults under this law.

There is a sequence of steps that must be followed by the prosecution in order to meet the definition of these penal code. First, the perpetrator must have entered into a building that contained the safe and then attempted to open said safe. Then, the perpetrator should have used an explosive device to open the safe. The most important part about this specific penal code is that the burglars entered the building first, and then tried to open the safe. This differentiates Penal Code 464 PC with other ones for burglary in general.

Violating Penal Code 464 PC is not a small offense. If found guilty of having committed such a burglary, the perpetrator faces a felony conviction. This includes spending up to seven years in a county jail in California and paying a $10,000 fine. Given the severity of punishment, if someone has been charged under this penal code, it is imperative that they seek the advice of an experienced criminal lawyer. The lawyer will argue for the defendant’s rights, and seek to prove that the prosecution’s case does not hold beyond a reasonable doubt. Some defences can include proving the defendant never intended on committing any crime after they have entered a building, or that the burglary did not take place. It is important that the defendant has a good lawyer, because if a non-US citizen is charged while in California, and then found guilty, they will face possible deportation.