Kino sees a DVD player on the porch of Lulu's house, takes the player to his home, and tells everyone he owns it. Maya, holding a knife, forces Nick to give her his boom box, and runs away with it. Ollie breaks into Pam's apartment, takes a computer, and leaves. Quico sells Randi an expensive wristwatch for a fraction of its value, admitting that the watch is stolen property but claiming that he is not the thief. Which of these acts are crimes, and what are the differences among them?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Kino has wrongfully taken and carried away the personal property of another with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of such property. This is larceny. Maya has unlawfully and forcibly taken the personal property of another. This is robbery. Ollie has broken and entered a dwelling with the intent to commit a felony. This is burglary. The basic differences: burglary requires a breaking and entering of a building without the use of force against a person; robbery does not involve any breaking and entering, but force is required; and larceny is the taking of personal property without force and without breaking and entering a building. Generally, because force is used, robbery is considered the most serious of these crimes and carries the most severe penalties. Because larceny involves no force or threat to human life, it carries the least severe penalty of the three. Burglary, because it involves breaking and entering, frequently into people's homes, carries a lesser penalty than robbery but a greater penalty than larceny. Randi committed the crime of receiving stolen goods. She was aware that the watch was stolen property but she bought it anyway. That Quico knew the watch was stolen indicates he committed the same crime as Randi¾receiving stolen goods¾when he initially obtained the watch.