Robbery, Theft & Burglary Attorneys in Austin, TX

Robbery

Robbery is legally defined as the stealing of property by either physical force or the threat of physical force. If the law worked like a math problem, Theft + Physical Violence = Robbery, very simply put. As long as there is a threat of violence, though, it’s robbery. This means that even if you didn’t lay a finger on another person, you can still be charged.

Unlike burglary, the crime of robbery, roughly at all times, needs the presence of a victim who experiences real injury or is intimidated with harm.

An example of this would be mugging someone in the street or holding up a convenience store. Note that without a deadly weapon it is a second-degree felony, but if a gun or other deadly weapon is involved, your charge will be bumped up to a first-degree felony as an aggravated robbery. An element of robbery that can set it apart from burglary is the implication of a threat when a person knows that you are in their house. Under the burglary charge, unless someone is aware that you are inside their home, you are just a burglar. When they know you’re there, the immediate danger they feel in your presence can make you a robber. Consider another angle: purse snatching, for example. If the victim is confronted by the robber, it’s robbery. If the victim isn’t held up but has her purse stolen in a ‘run-by’, it’s theft.

The Elements of Robbery

The penal codes of every state describe robbery in various ways, but the definitions include the same fundamental elements. Robbery normally includes the following:

• The taking, with the intent to steal, of.
• The personal property of another.
• From his or her person or in their presence.
• Against his or her will.
• By violence, intimidation or the threat of force.

The use or threat of force can additionally be minor, and the amount necessary to transform a theft into a robbery relies on the parties concerned and the circumstances. If a minute quantity of violence or intimidation is sufficient to force the victim to hand over their property based on the personalities of the victim and assailant, then a robbery has happened.

Lifetime of Repercussions

Even after you serve your sentence, a felony on your record can haunt you for the rest of your life. Criminal charges on your record can keep you from being able to find stable employment or even a landlord who will rent you an apartment. You could even have trouble applying for a loan or going back to school. Your criminal charge will indicate an increased liability for those people, which can get in the way of a future down the right path. Now, this is where the help of experienced criminal lawyers in Austin comes in.

Get Solid Legal Representation

If you’ve been arrested and charged with robbery or theft, you need legal representation you can count on. At Carroll Troberman, PLLC, we care about our clients and their concerns.

Blair Carroll is an aggressive Austin criminal defense attorney who has practiced in courts all over the state. He is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and knows the intricacies of these types of cases.

Meredith “Shelly” Troberman worked for the Travis County Attorney’s office as a prosecutor before starting her own criminal defense practice in Austin. She knows the ins-and-outs of the Travis County court system and how to defend her clients against Austin’s most aggressive prosecutors.

Contact Carroll Troberman, PLLC Today