Robbery is an offence that carries serious consequences. Depending on the circumstances and criminal history, a person who is convicted of this crime can face up to life in prison.
At common law, robbery is defined as the unlawful taking (or threat to take) of property from another with intent to deprive them permanently. It is therefore more serious than other theft crimes such as burglary, which do not involve force.
If a person intends to commit a robbery and is prevented from doing so by withdrawing support, or convincing them not to do it, then they may be found guilty of the alternative offence of assault with intent to rob. It is also possible to be charged with robbery if you take something that has been stolen in the course of a robbery, and dishonestly deal with it.
A robbery will almost always result in a custodial sentence, except in cases of low-harm, low-culpability robbery, or in the case of an attempted robbery that was thwarted before it could be completed. There are however, a number of other mitigating factors that can be taken into account.
People who are armed while committing a robbery are subject to a substantial increase in their sentence. The minimum sentence for a robbery is 10 years. This increases to 20 years if the offender carries a firearm and is caught, or 25 years to life if someone suffers great bodily harm. The minimum sentence is increased even further when the offender has a previous robbery conviction.
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