Is Armed Robbery as Serious as Other Crimes Involving Stealing?
Armed Robbery is a serious offense that may lead to time served in a penitentiary for more than a year. Due to the supposed violent nature of the crime, first time offenders often are not awarded leniency unless they can reach a plea bargain, or if the prosecution fails to meet its burden of proof, or possibly for a variety of other reasons. Your local Virginia Beach Criminal Lawyer can ensure the prosecution does meet every burden of proof they are tasked with, mainly by forcing the State to prove every element of the offense charged.
Va. Code Sec. 18.2-53.1 is your starting point for research related to the crime of Armed Robbery. If you have been charged with this offense, your best resource is your local Virginia Beach Criminal Lawyer.
What are the Basic Elements of the Crime of Robbery?
You may have heard of the crime of Larceny, which is the intentional taking of personal property of another person. Robbery is a crime that is committed in a similar fashion, but by force or threat of force. Thus, think of Robbery as Larceny but with the added element of force or threat/intimidation of force. Because of this differentiating factor, accused persons will probably be looking at a stiffer penalty for committing Robbery as opposed to Larceny. Please note, this is a very basic description of the crimes mentioned and your best resource for a description of criminal charges is your local Virginia Beach Criminal Lawyer.
With a basic understanding of Larceny and Robbery, we can now elaborate on the crime known as Armed Robbery. Armed Robbery entails the use of a weapon like a gun, knife, or any item deemed to be dangerous (an item that can cause bodily harm). Remember, Armed Robbery generally carries a harsher penalty scheme by most state statutes than other crimes like shoplifting or mere robbery. For an analysis of the crime for which you have been charged, consult your local Virginia Beach Criminal Lawyer. He or she can explain why or why not the charges you are facing have a probability of sticking. From that point, you can decide whether a plea bargain or other option is your best strategy, and whether certain options are likely to be available to you under the circumstances of your case.
Armed Robbery in the Local Virginia Beach News:
On the second day of the New Year, robbery suspect Alex Thadeus Jenkins, age 21, turned himself in to authorities in Virginia Beach. According to Disaster Center, a site that keeps data on crimes, Virginia ranked as the 30th state in relative frequency of Robberies committed per 100,000 individuals. For a detailed explanation about the elements which make up the charge of robbery, speak with your experienced local Virginia Beach Criminal Attorney.
Jenkins was charged in a Pizza shop and convenience store robbery, allegedly committed just days apart. A second suspect was with Jenkins, but that person is still at large and the investigation continues. Jenkins faces some legal hurdles ahead, as WTKR News noted, “[Jenkins] is charged with five counts of Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, five counts of Use of a Firearm in a Commission of a Felony, three counts of Wearing a Mask, and five counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony.”