A Missouri state legislator, Rep. Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis is proposing stricter measures against individuals attempting to engage in the crime of breaking into multiple vehicles. While the primary focus of the bill is on individuals attempting to enter multiple vehicles in residential areas, it also extends to cover attempts in areas like parking lots.
The introduced bill, HB1510, seeks to establish an offense for unlawfully gaining access to motor vehicles, encompassing consecutive attempts to unlawfully enter any part of a motor vehicle with the intent to commit a felony or theft.
Currently, Missouri’s burglary statute does not extend to motor vehicles. The proposed legislation aims to rectify this gap by adding vehicles to the burglary statute, along with intensified penalties. The bill also seeks elevated penalties for those attempting to break into multiple vehicles, with additional consequences for possessing a firearm during such acts.
Advocates argue that these new rules, while not eliminating burglary entirely, should be complemented by robust law enforcement and prosecution efforts.
Doug Morris, OOIDA director of state government affairs, expresses support for legislation enhancing penalties to discourage criminals from targeting truck drivers and their trucks. Offenses outlined in HB1510 would be classified as class C, D, or E felonies.
- A nonviolent class E felony addresses unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, carrying an average sentence of approximately two years behind bars.
- A new nonviolent class D felony addresses entry into a motor vehicle with the intent to commit a felony or theft, with an average sentence of nearly three years.
- HB1510 introduces a class C felony for burglary in the second degree involving a motor vehicle while possessing a firearm, carrying an average sentence of about three and a half years in prison.
The bill is currently awaiting assignment to a House committee.
Source: Land Line
