Most people when they think of a robbery imagine a man in a mask with a gun holding up a bank and making a break for it in the getaway car and eventually being tracked down at the end of an exciting police chase. Or at the very least you would think of some sort of mugging on the street where someone gets beat up and their wallet stolen.  However, the reality of robbery may involve a significant less amount of force than you would think.

The offense of robbery requires that in the course of a theft, one of the following happens: the robber (1) Inflicts serious bodily injury; (2) or threatens or puts someone in fear of serious bodily injury; (3) or inflicts or threatens to inflict bodily injury; (4) physically takes or removes property from another by force however so slight; (5) or takes money from a financial institution or makes a demand of an employee of a financial institution orally or in writing.

With this loose definition of robbery, practically any theft that involves physical force of any kind can result in robbery charges under subsection four.  This may mean that in a domestic dispute with a girlfriend if you take her phone and leave with it, you may find yourself facing serious robbery charges. The conscientious bank thief may think that they won’t be charged for a robbery if they come in unarmed and just slide a note over to the teller, but subsection five covers that scenario too.  If you are part of a group of people that is committing a theft, you may find yourself charged with robbery as an accomplice even if you are not the one who did the actual physical assault. And add a firearm into the mix of any of the above scenarios and you’ll find yourself in even more trouble with possible enhancements applied to your potential sentence.

Robbery is a serious offense with statutory maximum punishments of up to seven, ten, or twenty years depending on the subsection a person is charged with. If you or a loved one has been charged with a robbery, the steps you take in handling the criminal case will impact the rest of your life.  The most important decision you can make from the start is retaining experienced, professional counsel who can handle your case from day one. 

Attorney Frank Walker of Frank Walker Law is a National Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyer and Personal Injury Attorney with offices in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and Morgantown West Virginia. Attorney Walker is also a member of the National College for DUI Defense, Super Lawyer and qualified as a Pennsylvania Death Penalty Defense Attorney.

If you or someone you love are facing criminal charges or seriously injured in an accident in WV or PA, contact Attorney Frank Walker immediately at 412-532-6805, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for aggressive and experienced Criminal Defense or Representation following a serious accident or injury.