Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 17-A
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401 (2026)

Burglary

✓ current as of May 2026
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1.  A person is guilty of burglary if:  
A. The person enters or surreptitiously remains in a structure knowing that that person is not licensed or privileged to do so, with the intent to commit a crime therein. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime; or   [PL 2001, c. 383, §53 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
B. The person violates paragraph A and:  
(1) The person is armed with a firearm, or knows that an accomplice is so armed. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class A crime;  
(2) The person intentionally or recklessly inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily injury on anyone during the commission of the burglary or an attempt to commit the burglary or in immediate flight after the commission or attempt. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;  
(3) The person is armed with a dangerous weapon other than a firearm or knows that an accomplice is so armed. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime;  
(4) The violation is against a structure that is a dwelling place. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime; or  
(5) At the time of the burglary, the person has 2 or more prior convictions for any combination of the Maine Class A, B or C offenses listed in this subparagraph or for engaging in substantially similar conduct to that of the Maine offenses listed in this subparagraph in another jurisdiction. The Maine offenses are: theft; any violation of this section or section 651, 702 or 703; or attempts to commit any of these crimes. Section 9‑A governs the use of prior convictions when determining a sentence. Violation of this subparagraph is a Class B crime.   [PL 2007, c. 476, §21 (AMD).]
[PL 2007, c. 476, §21 (AMD).]
2. 
[PL 2001, c. 383, §54 (RP); PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF).]
3.  A person may be convicted both of burglary and of the crime that the person committed or attempted to commit after entering or remaining in the structure, but sentencing for both crimes is governed by section 1608.  
[PL 2019, c. 113, Pt. C, §61 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1975, c. 499, §1 (NEW). PL 1975, c. 740, §60 (AMD). PL 1977, c. 510, §§50-52 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 282, §4 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 477, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §§53-55 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 383, §156 (AFF). PL 2007, c. 476, §21 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 113, Pt. C, §61 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 231 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1976–2025 · leading case: United States v. Michael Herrold, 883 F.3d 517 (5th Cir. 2018).
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United States v. Michael Herrold, 883 F.3d 517 (5th Cir. 2018). · cites it 2× “020 ; Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 17-A, § 401 ; Mich.”
People v. Oram, 217 P.3d 883 (Colo. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “080(1) ("knowingly enters or remains unlawfully") Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(&A) ("enters or surreptitiously remains in a structure knowing that that person is not licensed or privileged to do so") Mont.”
United States v. Rodriguez, 311 F.3d 435 (1st Cir. 2002). · cites it 2× “Me.Rev.Stat. Ann. tit 17-A, § 401 (1996).”
State v. Wing, 426 A.2d 1375 (Me. 1981). · cites it 8× “Defendant Thomas Jeffrey Wing appeals from his Superior Court (Androscoggin County) convictions entered after a jury trial for burglary, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 401 (Supp.1980), and theft, id.”
State of Maine v. Wai Chan, 2020 ME 91 (Me. 2020). · cites it 2× “) after a jury found him guilty of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(B)(4) (2020), and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C), 17-A M.”
State v. Crossman, 2002 ME 28 (Me. 2002). · cites it 5× “) upon a jury verdict finding him guilty of burglary of a dwelling, Class B, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 401 (1983) and theft, Class E, 17-A M.”
State v. Rand, 430 A.2d 808 (Me. 1981). · cites it 3× “17-A M.R.S.A. § 401. This provision of the Maine Criminal Code, effective May 1, 1976, preserves the essential elements of the pre-Code offense of burglary, save the common law requirement that there be a “breaking.”
State v. Cook, 2010 ME 85 (Me. 2010). · cites it 5× “) for twenty-five total counts: four counts of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2009); four counts of burglary (Class C), 17-A M.”
United States v. Cesar Bernel-Aveja, 844 F.3d 206 (5th Cir. 2016). · cites it 2× “020 (LexisNexis 2014) 128 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 17-A, § 401 (2006 *237 & Supp.”
State v. Cook, 2010 ME 81 (Me. 2010). · cites it 5× “§ 702(1)(D) (2009); one count of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2009); one count of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class D), 17-A M.”
State of Maine v. Roland L. Cummings, 2017 ME 143 (Me. 2017). · cites it 2× “He does not challenge his additional convictions of burglary of a dwelling (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2016), and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C), 17-A M.”
Dimott v. United States, 881 F.3d 232 (1st Cir. 2018). “Based on his eight previous state convictions in Maine for burglary, see Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 17-A, § 401, the district court concluded that Dimott qualified for the sentencing enhancement under the ACCA, but did not specify under which clause—enumerated or residual—it was…”
Show all 231 citing cases →
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1) — 35 cases
People v. Oram, 217 P.3d 883 (Colo. Ct. App. 2009). “080(1) ("knowingly enters or remains unlawfully") Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(&A) ("enters or surreptitiously remains in a structure knowing that that person is not licensed or privileged to do so") Mont.”
State v. Wing, 426 A.2d 1375 (Me. 1981). “Defendant Thomas Jeffrey Wing appeals from his Superior Court (Androscoggin County) convictions entered after a jury trial for burglary, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 401 (Supp.1980), and theft, id.”
State v. Murphy, 2004 ME 118 (Me. 2004).
State v. Crocker, 435 A.2d 1109 (Me. 1981).
State v. Rand, 430 A.2d 808 (Me. 1981). “17-A M.R.S.A. § 401. This provision of the Maine Criminal Code, effective May 1, 1976, preserves the essential elements of the pre-Code offense of burglary, save the common law requirement that there be a “breaking.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(A) — 16 cases
State v. Cook, 2010 ME 85 (Me. 2010). “) for twenty-five total counts: four counts of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2009); four counts of burglary (Class C), 17-A M.”
State of Maine v. Roland L. Cummings, 2017 ME 143 (Me. 2017). “He does not challenge his additional convictions of burglary of a dwelling (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2016), and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C), 17-A M.”
People v. Oram, 217 P.3d 883 (Colo. Ct. App. 2009). “080(1) ("knowingly enters or remains unlawfully") Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(&A) ("enters or surreptitiously remains in a structure knowing that that person is not licensed or privileged to do so") Mont.”
State v. Cook, 2010 ME 81 (Me. 2010). “§ 702(1)(D) (2009); one count of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(A), (B)(4) (2009); one count of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class D), 17-A M.”
State v. Ames, 155 A.3d 881 (Me. 2017).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(1) — 8 cases
MaineToday Media, Inc. v. State of Maine, 2013 ME 100 (Me. 2013).
State v. Rice, 2007 ME 122 (Me. 2007).
State v. Hofland, 58 A.3d 1023 (Me. 2012).
State v. Cobb, 2006 ME 43 (Me. 2006).
State of Maine v. Harry D. Every, 2023 ME 39 (Me. 2023).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(2) — 1 case
State v. Witmer, 2011 ME 7 (Me. 2011).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(3) — 1 case
State v. Maynard, 926 A.2d 172 (Me. 2007).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(4) — 24 cases
State of Maine v. Wai Chan, 2020 ME 91 (Me. 2020). “) after a jury found him guilty of burglary (Class B), 17-A M.R.S. § 401(1)(B)(4) (2020), and theft by unauthorized taking or transfer (Class C), 17-A M.”
State of Maine v. Christopher T. Knight, 2016 ME 123 (Me. 2016).
State v. Robbins, 999 A.2d 936 (Me. 2010).
State v. Fortune, 34 A.3d 1115 (Me. 2011).
State of Maine v. Christopher J. Johndro, 2013 ME 106 (Me. 2013).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(5) — 2 cases
State of Maine v. Michael J. Warner II, 2019 ME 140 (Me. 2019).
State of Maine v. Alan D. Perkins, 2014 ME 159 (Me. 2014).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(1)(B)(l) — 1 case
State of Maine v. Nightingale (Me. Super. Ct 2022).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(2)(A) — 1 case
State v. DeWalt, 684 A.2d 1291 (Me. 1996).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(2)(B) — 11 cases
State v. Bleyl, 435 A.2d 1349 (Me. 1981).
State v. Chattley, 390 A.2d 472 (Me. 1978).
State v. Crossman, 2002 ME 28 (Me. 2002). “) upon a jury verdict finding him guilty of burglary of a dwelling, Class B, 17-A M.R.S.A. § 401 (1983) and theft, Class E, 17-A M.”
State v. Carsetti, 536 A.2d 1121 (Me. 1988).
State v. Beathem, 482 A.2d 860 (Me. 1984).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(2)(C) — 1 case
State v. Smith, 435 A.2d 408 (Me. 1981).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(3) — 1 case
State v. Rand, 430 A.2d 808 (Me. 1981). “17-A M.R.S.A. § 401. This provision of the Maine Criminal Code, effective May 1, 1976, preserves the essential elements of the pre-Code offense of burglary, save the common law requirement that there be a “breaking.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(B)(3) — 1 case
United States v. Giggey, 501 F. Supp. 2d 237 (D. Me. 2007).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(B)(4) — 2 cases
State v. Mills, 2006 ME 134 (Me. 2006).
Smith v. Jackson, 463 F. Supp. 2d 72 (D. Me. 2006).
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 401(C) — 1 case
State v. Wentworth, 480 A.2d 751 (Me. 1984).
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