A man forcibly entered a sporting goods store, which was closed, and stole cash and merchandise including numerous firearms. The next day, the police arrested a man during an attempted street robbery. The man was armed with a handgun, which further police investigation determined he stole from the sporting goods store the previous day. Which offenses best fit this scenario?

• A. five Strong-arm Robbery offenses
• B. Arson , murder x6
• C. stay on line and record conversation with HCSO
• D. Burglary—Forcible Entry (5a) and the Robbery— Firearm

Answer: (D)

This item tests how to apply two different offenses to a sequence of acts based on their elements: breaking into a building with the intent to steal, and taking property from a person with a weapon.

The first act involves forcibly entering a closed sporting goods store and stealing cash and merchandise, including firearms. Forcing entry into a building with the intent to commit theft fits burglary, specifically a forcible-entry burglary. The crucial element is the unlawful entry by force into a structure with the intent to steal, which occurred here when the store was secured and the offender gained entry to take valuables.

The second act is a street robbery where the perpetrator, armed with a handgun, attempts to rob someone and is found to have stolen that handgun from the store the previous day. Robbery with a firearm is satisfied because property was taken from a person using or threatening with a gun. The fact that the weapon was previously stolen from the store links the two crimes but does not change the necessary elements of each offense: burglary for the forcible entry theft, and robbery with a firearm for the armed street robbery.

Why the other options don’t fit as well: a five-count strong-arm robbery would require no weapon involved, which isn’t the case since a handgun was used. Arson or murder don’t reflect what happened. The unrelated option about “stay on line and record conversation” isn’t a crime scenario. Therefore, the combination of Burglary—Forcible Entry and Robbery—Firearm best matches the described events.