Robbery is a serious crime in which the perpetrator takes another person’s property from their immediate possession against their will, with force or fear. It is a violent and dangerous criminal offense that can carry severe penalties upon conviction, including prison time. Robbery is also a strike under the Three Strikes Law, meaning that if you have prior felony convictions you will be ineligible to apply for parole or early release. If you have been arrested for robbery, it is imperative that you hire an experienced attorney who can fight to protect your freedom.

Although it is often portrayed in movies and on TV as a lone gunman taking money from a cashier at a convenience store, the legal definition of robbery is much more broad. Essentially, it is any act that involves stealing from someone else’s “person or presence.” This can mean physically taking something from the victim’s hand or body but it can also include stealing something that is within their control.

The force or threat of violence in a robbery is what sets it apart from other types of theft crimes, such as shoplifting or pickpocketing. For this reason, robbery is considered more severe than simple theft and is always classified as a felony in most jurisdictions. In New York, a conviction of first- or second-degree robbery is a serious felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction of either type may also result in a substantial fine.