Robbery

A robbery at a convenience store.

A robbery is the act of stealing from a person using violence or by causing fear of violence. A person who commits robbery is known as a robber.

A person who steals without using violence or fear (such as stealing items from a store, or pickpocketing, or car theft), commits theft, not robbery.

In some US states, however, Simple Robbery refers to the knowing procurement of an item or items belonging to another by force but without “aggravating factors” such as violence or weapons.

Types of robbery

• Armed robbery - Stealing from someone using a weapon.
• Aggravated robbery - Stealing from someone using a deadly weapon, such as a gun.
• Highway robbery - Often known as mugging, stealing from someone in a public place.
• Carjacking - Stealing someones car, by force.

Notable robberies

• Great Train Robbery - £2.6million was stolen from a train on 8 August 1963 by 15 people, including Bruce Reynolds, Ronnie Biggs, Buster Edwards and Brian Field. The money was never recovered. It was the largest robbery in British history until 2006.