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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

CdA shoplifter loses burglary appeal

The Idaho Supreme Court has upheld the state’s burglary law, over a challenge from a Coeur d’Alene man that it’s unconstitutional because it was used to charge him with felony burglary instead of misdemeanor shoplifting for taking items from a Wal-Mart store. Idaho’s burglary law simply requires that a person enter a place with an intent to commit a crime – and theft qualifies – so shoplifters are routinely charged with felony burglary if the state can show they entered the store with the intent to steal. Ryan Rawlings stole several items from a Wal-Mart store in Kootenai County in May of 2014; he placed them in a shopping cart, wheeled it through the self-checkout line, and left without paying. When he was arrested outside, he told a sheriff’s deputy he’d always been able to take items from Wal-Mart stores in the past without getting caught/Betsy Russell, SR. More here.

Question: Sounds like this guy got what he deserved. Thoughts?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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