In California, a robbery involves taking something that belongs to another person via threat or use of force. Even a minor shoplifting crime can be escalated into a robbery if a security officer attempts to detain you and you struggle with them in an attempt to get away. Even if you don’t get away with the item you were attempting to take or if you get caught before you leave the property, you could still be charged with robbery. Fortunately, prosecutors must prove that your actions met the conditions of a robbery in order to convict you of the crime.
This means they must show that you intentionally took an item that rightfully belonged to someone else and that you either threatened or harmed someone in the process. If your Vista robbery attorney can prove that any of these conditions were not met, you cannot be charged with robbery. For example, if no violence or threats occurred, the crime is not robbery. Alternatively, if someone broke into another person’s house and threatened them, but the trespasser did not attempt to take anything, it is not a robbery.
Robbery is a very serious crime that can result in up to five years imprisonment, even more if a weapon was used. If a gun was used during the crime, you could immediately be sent to prison and be subject to an additional ten years of imprisonment for the crime.
If you have been accused of any type of theft, particularly one as serious as robbery, please call Vista theft crimes lawyer Peter M. Liss at (760) 643-4050 as soon as possible.
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