Differences Between Robbery and Theft Charges in Stafford County

Robbery is something that is punishable by up to life in prison. If a person is charged with a crime like this, it is important for the person to have a criminal lawyer who has a lot of experience trying similar cases. An attorney should understand the differences between robbery and theft charges in Stafford County and how to approach each case.

The individual being charged should ensure that they work with a skilled robbery attorney who enjoys a good reputation and comes highly recommended. The stakes are simply too high to be anyone’s learning experience in a case of this nature.

Distinguishing Between Offenses

Theft, which is sometimes called larceny in Virginia, involves the taking of another person’s property with the intent to permanently deprive the person of it. Differences between robbery and theft charges in Stafford County consist of the way the offense was allegedly accomplished. The difference with robbery is that the taking is done or accomplished in the presence of the victim. The taking has to be accomplished either by violence or the threat of violence.

A larceny, burglary, or breaking and entering can happen without anyone there. With the robbery, someone has to be present when the property is taken. The second critical distinction is that there has to either be violence or intimidation, which either preceded the taking of the property or happened contemporaneously to the taking of the property.

Severity of a Robbery Charge

There are differences between robbery and theft charges in Stafford County that impact the severity of robbery in comparison to theft. The first is that it is a crime that takes place while the victim is present. It is not something that the victim finds out about later. Rather, it is something experienced firsthand. The other part is that there is a violence or threat of violence component to it.

Whereas with theft or larceny there is a loss of property in the case of robbery, with robbery something violent occurs to that person rather than the crime taking place out of the person’s presence and the person learns about it later. It may be crucial to find

Negotiating Robbery down to Theft Charges

The number one thing in negotiating any plea is developing successful and credible defenses. Persuading a prosecutor to give the person a favorable plea in their case is the fear on their part that they may not prevail at trial. In addition, there can be a number of things that the defendant can do in advance of trial by way of mitigation, which will make it more likely that the person will receive a favorable plea.

Treatment of Theft Charges in Stafford

Theft is a serious felony charge, which can carry all of the nasty penalties. An individual charged with theft faces a loss of civil rights and difficulty in being able to keep a job or to find work in the future.

In addition, even misdemeanor versions of theft are crimes that when they are on a person’s record can make it difficult for the person to maintain or to keep work. Even if the seriousness of robbery is not at stake with a theft charge, a person wants to defend that and avoid a conviction if the person possibly can.

Contacting a Lawyer

A person should contact a criminal lawyer as soon as the person knows that they have either been charged with robbery or are under investigation for a crime. There are a number of common mistakes that people make when they are confronted by police that an attorney can help the person avoid. There are a number of things that can be done proactively that an attorney can assist with including the explanation of differences between robbery and theft charges in Stafford County.