Robbery

The Definition of Robbery

Robbery is one of the crimes most feared by Americans as it combines force, loss of property, and uncertainty about outcomes. Robbery is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its Uniform Crime Reports (1999) as “the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or putting the victim in fear.” This formal definition includes several important subcategories: robberies with and without injuries, and attempted and completed acts of robbery. Robberies come in a variety of forms, ranging from the least serious forms, such as “snatch and grab” attempts on the street that more closely resemble purse snatching, to home invasions with armed intruders holding family members hostage.

It also is important to distinguish between the different kinds of robbery targets, such as persons or commercial establishments. The most common form of robbery occurs on a street between strangers, and involves a weapon. The robber typically is armed with a gun and gets a relatively small amount of money. In fact, the average robbery nets just under $1,000.

Robberies are a process that includes many steps. Among the most important of the steps in the robbery process is the creation of fear. When robbers create fear, they induce greater levels of compliance. This often is accomplished through brandishing a weapon or by striking the victim with a weapon. The element of surprise is also important to the successful completion of a robbery. When a potential victim is taken by surprise, the chances that he or she will resist or injure the robber decline significantly.

Robbers must determine how to identify targets, approach those targets, gain control of the interaction, obtain the goods that they are in search of, leave the scene of the robbery, and then use the proceeds of the robbery. Robbery is a relatively easy crime to commit, as it requires little technical expertise and not much experience to complete. In addition, robbery is a crime to which offenders who want quick cash are drawn because, unlike burglary, there is no need to fence stolen goods. The most likely proceed from a robbery is cash, and that can be converted into drugs or other commodities quite easily. While some robbers shy away from taking credit cards, others sell them on the street or use them to obtain goods illegally.

Robbery is the quintessential street crime, and the fear of an armed stranger lurking on street corners has a key role in the creation of fear of crime in the United States. Fear of crime is an important factor in determining where people decide to live, to work, to shop, and to do business. Despite the fear of being victim to an armed stranger, robbery still is a rare offense compared to other crimes. The common perception of robbery is that of a bank robbery. In 1996, however, the FBI reported that 8,046 bank robberies occurred, just over 1 percent of all robberies known to the police.

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