Every time we publish our weekly police blotter, we categorize crimes by type. To make sure we’re not just throwing jargon out to our readership, we’ve decided to decode burglaries for you using Maryland law and one of our contacts at the local precinct.

There are four kinds of burglaries: first-, second-, third- and fourth-degree. All are felonies except for fourth-degree, which is a misdemeanor.

First-degree burglary generally involves entering someone’s home intending to commit theft or violence. Second-degree burglary involves entering a business intending to commit theft or violence, but can also apply to auxiliary buildings like sheds that are detached from homes.

“Third-degree, for most of the time, is where there is a break-in but it can’t be determined why the person broke in,” said Lt. Stephen Doarnberger, assistant commander of Baltimore County Police Franklin Precinct No. 3. The third-degree label also may apply in cases where the break-in was not for theft, like in domestic cases.

Fourth-degree burglary generally involves taking items from homes’ and business’ fenced-in areas or areas otherwise connected to homes or businesses, Doarnberger said.

A person can be charged with fourth-degree burglary for simply being in someone’s house or business, or a yard, garden or other area connected to that home or business. Possessing burglar’s tools with intent to use them also falls into this category.

Finally, a burglary can carry an additional charge of grand theft when the theft totals $1,000 or more.

First-degree burglaries can carry a sentence up to 20 years in prison, third-degree can carry up to 10 and fourth can carry up to three. Sentencing varies for second-degree burglaries.