What offense is committed when Peter steals a laptop from a car in a garage?

In the scenario presented, when Peter steals a laptop from a car located in a garage, the most accurate classification of the offense committed is burglary of a habitation. This is because burglary involves entering a building or structure unlawfully with the intent to commit a crime inside. In this case, the garage is considered a part of a habitation, and the theft of the laptop from within the car inside the garage constitutes the unlawful entry with the intent to commit theft.

When considering the definitions of the other offenses, robbery typically involves taking property from a person using force or the threat of force, which is not applicable here as there is no mention of such conditions. Theft is a broader term that encompasses taking someone else's property without their consent; however, the specific context of entering a garage changes the classification to burglary. Criminal mischief generally refers to the intentional damage or destruction of property, which doesn’t align with the actions taken in this scenario, where the focus is on theft rather than damage. Thus, the offense is correctly identified as burglary of a habitation due to the nature of the setting and the actions involved.