Closed petition PE1898: Make entering someone’s home without their permission or warrant a crime
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to make it a crime for a stranger to enter your home without permission or a warrant.
Previous action taken
I wrote to my MSP, Angus Robertson. Angus had initially not realised there was no such crime and had offered to take up the matter with the police on my behalf. When I explained to Angus I had already written to the Police who had confirmed they couldn’t take any action as breaking into someone’s home is not a crime, he forwarded me a link to the petition site. I wrote to the Scottish Government Department of Justice and they confirmed their current position.
Background information
At present there is no such crime providing they do not steal anything. Housebreaking in itself is not a crime regardless of how vulnerable the residents are.
Whilst in London we received a call from our security company to say we had an intruder. They called the police who attended but could not secure our home. The police informed us that it is not a crime to enter someone’s home, sit on their sofa and turn on their tv provided nothing is stolen and there was no intent. This means any OAP (including my husband) can open their door to out rubbish and anyone can just walk in and sit down. The same for any vulnerable person. In our case the man entered despite the alarm sounding and not knowing who he would encounter. A week earlier it would have been a 3 year old. I petition for all homes.
This petition was considered by the Scottish Parliament
100 signatures