Court Opinion

ID: 9784261
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 20:41:07.978234+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:35:51.784252
License: Public Domain

Brazil, C.J.,
concurring: I concur with the majority that given the language in the Kansas burglary statute and our rules of statutory interpretation in criminal cases, this act is not a burglary.
However, I do not believe any reasonable person would assume that he or she has permission to enter any part of a store, otherwise open to the public, with the intent to commit a crime, and not be subject to being charged with a burglary. Therefore, I would suggest that the Kansas Legislature consider revising the burglary statute to bring it into line with modem realities.
From my review of the cases of other jurisdictions, it is clear that some states have effectively dealt with the problem we face under the present facts. For example, in Texas, a person commits a burglary if, without the effective consent of the owner, the person enters a building, or any portion of a building, not then open to the public with the intent to commit a felony, theft, or assault. Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 30.02 (West 2000). Similarly, in Oregon, a person commits a burglary in the second degree if the person enters or remains unlawfully in a building with the intent to commit a crime therein. Or. Rev. Stat. § 164.215 (1997). The definition of building in the Oregon statute reads in relevant part: “Where a building consists of separate units, including, but not limited to, separate apartments, offices or rented rooms, each unit is, in addition to being a part of such building, a separate building.” To enter or remain unlawfully includes entering in or remaining upon a premises when the premises is not open to the public or when the entrant is not otherwise licensed or privileged to do so. In turn, “open to the public means premises which by their physical nature, *320function, custom, usage, notice or lack thereof or other circumstances at the time would cause a reasonable person to believe that no permission to enter or remain is required.” Or. Rev. Stat. § 164.205 (1)(3) and (4) (1997).
With the inclusion of this language in our burglary statute, it would be clear that in instances such as we face here, when a person enters a stockroom of a store that is otherwise open to the public, without permission, with the intent to commit a theft, that person can be guilty of burglary.