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December 05, 2025 Clouds | 12°F
The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 17: Entering without breaking at night; breaking and entering in day time; weapons; punishment

[ Text of section effective until October 2, 2024. For text effective October 2, 2024, see below.]

  Section 17. Whoever, in the night time, enters without breaking, or breaks and enters in the day time, a building, ship, vessel, or vehicle, with intent to commit a felony, the owner or any other person lawfully therein being put in fear, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years. Whoever commits any offense described in this section while armed with a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 7 years or in the house of correction for not less than 2 years nor more than 21/2 years.

Chapter 266: Section 17. Entering without breaking at night; breaking and entering in day time; weapons; punishment

[ Text of section as amended by 2024, 135, Sec. 112 effective October 2, 2024. For text effective until October 2, 2024, see above.]

  Section 17. Whoever, in the night time, enters without breaking, or breaks and enters in the day time, a building, ship, vessel, or vehicle, with intent to commit a felony, the owner or any other person lawfully therein being put in fear, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years. Whoever commits any offense described in this section while armed with a firearm, as defined in section 121 of chapter 140, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 7 years or in the house of correction for not less than 2 years nor more than 21/2 years.