• Illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft.

  a two-year sentence for burglary

  count noun a series of burglaries

  Example sentencesExamples

  • An offshoot of these visits can be burglaries and theft of garden equipment and power tools.
  • He also faces charges of conspiracy to commit burglaries and steal motor vehicles in West Yorkshire.
  • A while ago I found out that they'd caught the guy who committed the burglary on my flat at the end of last year.
  • Drink is also a significant factor in street crime, burglaries and theft.
  • But three weeks after his release, he was dealing in heroin and committing burglaries.
  • Last week, year-on-year figures showed slight rises in street crime and burglaries.
  • As a result he will urge that crime prevention is focused on routine crimes such as theft and burglary.
  • Police say all the property has been stolen in either burglaries or robberies.
  • The number of burglaries, thefts from cars and violent crimes dropped in the Western Bay.
  • Five months later, she cashed two other benefit books after they were stolen in a burglary.
  • Apart from the burglary figures, crime as a whole was on the decrease, according to Insp Jones.
  • These offenders have recently been found guilty of a number of burglaries and car thefts.
  • The court heard he began committing burglaries at the age of 13 and first targeted churches ten years ago.
  • He also pleaded guilty to another two counts of burglary and an attempted burglary.
  • Along with stamping out burglaries and thefts, a heavy emphasis is put on personal safety.
  • Police say the problem has a direct impact on pushing up burglaries, robberies and thefts.
  • The theft of a water company's van has sparked fears it might be used to commit distraction burglaries.
  • Arrests were made for a variety of offences including burglary, theft and public order.
  • Other crimes such as burglaries and thefts from cars had decreased, he added.
  • The police suspect one man committed the four burglaries on New Year's Day.

  Synonyms

  housebreaking, breaking and entering, breaking in, forced entry, theft, thieving, stealing, robbery, robbing, larceny, thievery, pilfering, pilferage, looting

  trespassing

  informal filching

  break-in, theft, robbery, raid, hold-up

  informal snatch, smash and grab

  North American informal heist, stick-up

In English law before 1968, burglary was a crime under statute and in common law; since 1968 it has been a statutory crime only. See also housebreaking