A man prowls around a housing complex, rings doorbells to see if residents are home; He pretends to be waiting for the bus. What crime is described?

• A. Prowling
• B. Loitering
• C. Trespass
• D. Burglary

Answer: (A)

The situation shows purposeful movement around private property with the goal of checking if residents are present, which fits prowling. He’s moving around the housing complex, rings doorbells to see who’s home, and even pretends to be waiting for the bus to avoid suspicion. That combination—moving about the premises with the aim of preparing for a crime—defines prowling.

Loitering would be lingering without a clear purpose, which isn’t the case here since there’s active movement to assess occupancy. Trespass would require entering or staying on property without permission, and burglary requires entering a dwelling with the intent to commit a crime inside; neither entry is described.