B And E (Legal Definition: All You Need To Know)

What does B And E mean?

How do you legally define B and E?

What’s important to know?

Keep reading as we have gathered exactly the information that you need!

Let me explain to you what b and e means and why it’s important!

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What Is B And E

B and E are abbreviations for “breaking” and “entering”.

In criminal law, when a person unlawfully breaks an entry into a building or property, we’ll refer to that as breaking and entering crime (or b and e crime).

The abbreviation “B and E” is commonly used by the police when communicating with one another on the streets to refer to the type of crime when someone breaks and enters a property.

Quite often, the police will use the “b and e” synonymously with burglary.

B And E Legal Definition

How do you legally define B And E?

According to USLegal, breaking and entering or b and e is legally defined as follows:

In most states, breaking and entering is a felony.

Elements of B And E Crime

What are the elements of breaking and entering crime?

B and E, or the crime breaking and entering, refers to when a person uses force to enter into a building or property without any authorization.

The elements of the b and e crime as are as follows:

• The perpetrator has used force, even the slightest, or threat, fraud, or collusion to enter a building or property (such as pushing a door open)
• The perpetrator’s body is physically introduced into the building or property 

The use of force or threats to enter a property satisfies the “breaking” component of the crime whereas the physical introduction of the body satisfies the “entering” component of the crime.

It’s important to note that there are many states in the United States that no longer require the element of “breaking” for a person to be found guilty of either burglary or trespassing.

For example, in New York, a person can be found guilty of burglary in the third degree when he or she illegally enters another’s property with the motive of wanting to commit a crime.

B And E In Common Law

In common law, burglary is defined as b and e of a dwelling, during the night, with the intent to commit a felony.

Unlike the statutory crime of b and e, for a person to be found guilty of b and e under common law, one of the requirements is that the crime must be committed at night.

B And E vs Trespassing

What is the difference between b and e versus trespassing?

Essentially, for a person to be accused and found guilty of b and e, you’ll need the person to unlawfully enter into a building or property with the intent of committing a crime.

On the other hand, when a person unlawfully enters into a property without the intention of committing a crime, that can still be a criminal act but will fall into the category of trespassing.

B And E Crime Takeaways 

So there you have it folks!

What does B And E mean in simple terms?

B and E is short for “breaking and entering” representing a statutory crime where a person illegally enters property, land, or dwelling, with the intention of committing a crime.

B and E police use this abbreviation as part of their jargon on the streets when dealing with burglary or crimes when someone through force or threat has illegally penetrated another property.

For example, a person may be found guilty of b and e when he or she illegally enters a property with the intention of committing a crime such as theft, robbery, or murder (to name a few).

Interestingly, in common law, one of the elements of b and e is that the act is committed at night.

I hope that I have been able to clarify the meaning of “b and e” for you so you know what it means, when it is used, and why it’s important.

Remember, this article is intended to give you general information, if you need legal advice relating to b and e or have specific legal questions, be sure to call a criminal attorney!

Good luck!

Now, let’s look at a summary of our findings.

Understanding B And E Meaning

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