Armed Robbery Details

Armed robbery is a violent crime and often receives stiffer sentencing than other forms of robbery; in some countries, such as Kenya, armed robbery is punishable by death. Armed robbery is also legally classified as robbery with violence because of the use of force and weapons to intimidate, hurt, or even kill victims. Most armed robbers will use illegally obtained weapons to steal in order to avoid the potential of the crime being traced back to themselves.

When an armed robbery occurs, it draws a lot of attention in media channels, both traditional and social media. This is largely due to the extent of damage the act has on its victims and the neighborhoods it occurs in. Victims of armed robbery are usually left with lasting psychological and physical trauma from the ordeal.

Neighborhoods that have high incidences of armed robbery are considered unsafe to live in or carry out business. This affects the property value in those areas because most people will avoid buying or leasing property there.

Example of Armed Robbery

Most armed robbers prefer to attack victims who are vulnerable and unable to fight back. They also work in groups to ensure maximum intimidation of the victim. The main motivation for armed robbers is to steal something of value to exchange it for money. Armed robbers will also rob you of money, especially if you have a significant amount on your person.

Usually, armed robberies will happen at night when the victim will be unable to get help quickly. The armed robbers may target a home of a wealthy family or person who is known or rumored to keep valuables in their home. The robbers will often gain entry by breaking into the house. These criminals usually have some intelligence of sorts about what they will find in the place they are robbing.

More often than not, armed robbers will gag and tie up their victims while roughing them up somehow. They will also wield their weapons, be it guns or knives, to intimidate victims into giving up their valuables. Some armed robberies may end with fatalities or casualties. What is almost always the outcome of an armed robbery is some form of psychological trauma for the victims. This could last for years if not addressed through professional intervention on time.

Armed Robbery vs. Burglary

While armed robbery is a form of theft or larceny that involves the use of brute force and lethal weapons, it is vastly different from burglary. Commonly, many people refer to any type of theft in the home or a business premises as a burglary. However, though armed robbery and burglary may seem related, they are inherently different and attract completely different penalties from the law.

Burglary is the crime of entering a locked building, structure, or vehicle with the criminal intent to commit a felony. The felony could be anything from petty theft to a grand felony. A burglar could be armed or not be armed when committing this criminal act. In the case of armed robbery, the robber is usually always carrying some sort of crude or sophisticated weapons with the intent to use them.

In addition, burglary is classified as a third-degree crime; in some states, it could receive a lesser classification of a second-degree crime. A first time offender could receive a fine or a short jail term for his crime. A repeating offender, however, would get a prolonged jail sentence running up to decades of jail time. On the other hand, armed robbery attracts harsher penalties than burglary in most states and countries across the world.