Robbery and theft are different charges in West Palm Beach. Robbery is classified as a theft committed with the use and help of force, and armed robbery is defined as theft by use of force involving a weapon. Theft is a lesser-included crime of robbery. In order to be convicted of robbery, there first must be a theft.
To understand any further differences between robbery and theft in West Palm Beach, be sure to contact a West Palm Beach robbery attorney as soon as possible.
Main Differences
The main differences between robbery and theft in West Palm Beach are that robbery includes a theft but theft does not necessarily include a robbery. Theft is just a taking and does not require the use of force.
Theft is a taking of someone else’s property without their consent. Robbery is taking someone else’s property with the use of force without their consent. Armed robbery is the taking of someone else’s property with the use of a weapon and force without that person’s consent.
Severity of Armed Robbery
A theft is just the taking of property. Shoplifting would be considered a theft, for example. Armed robbery is a crime of violence and, with violent crimes and people that are allegedly violent, the crime often involves a person who poses a danger to the community.
Crimes of violence, whether a person is physically violent with the use of a deadly weapon, firearm, or an extraordinary weapon, poses a greater risk than someone who has taken a $5 or even a $100 item off the shelf in a store.
Robbery is something that is personal. A person is confronted with either a threat of force, use of force, a weapon, or a firearm where theft does not involve any violence. The difference between armed robbery and theft in West Palm Beach is the violence, and the violence makes the crime of armed robbery much more severe than just theft.
Negotiating to a Lesser Offense
At any time, an attorney may be able to negotiate an armed robbery charge down to a theft charge. This could happen when the case is first brought to the attention of the prosecutor.
Because of this, an individual should be sure to hire a lawyer as soon as they are being suspected of a crime. Even if an individual suspects that they might be under investigation, they should immediately retain a local West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney.
A defense attorney may be able to negotiate down an armed robbery charge from the moment it is submitted to the state attorney or a prosecutor for review. This negotiation can occur up until the time the case goes to trial or the case is submitted to a judge or a jury for consideration. Negotiations are usually ongoing throughout a case for the client’s benefit.
An attorney can try and negotiate peace when their client is facing a theft charge. Negotiating peace is done through strength. To best understand this negotiation process and any further differences between robbery and theft in West Palm Beach, it is imperative to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
