Question

With the consent of the owner, a repairman entered the kitchen to replace a leaky faucet. When the owner momentarily stepped outside the repairman entered the bedroom and removed a diamond ring from the dresser, placing it in his pocket. After completing the necessary work, the repairman left the residence with the ring. He should be arrested for:

Answer 1

The repairman should be arrested for theft or burglary as he had lawful access for repairs but committed a crime by stealing a diamond ring.

Step-by-step explanation:

The repairman who entered the kitchen to replace a leaky faucet and instead stole a diamond ring from the bedroom should be arrested for theft or burglary. Since he had lawful access to the premises for a specific, necessary task, but then exploited this access to commit a crime in a different part of the house, his actions constitute a clear violation of the owner's property rights. The fact that the owner had momentarily stepped outside when the theft occurred does not absolve the repairman of wrongdoing.