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Many people use the terms robbery and burglary interchangeably, but there are actually a number of differences between the two offenses. While both crimes are classified as felonies, alleged offenders can be charged with burglary when alleged victims were not present and actual acts of theft did not occur.
When a person is accused of robbery, the crime involved the presence of an alleged victim as well as the taking of some item of value. Unlike burglary where criminal intent can be more difficult to prove, prosecutors feel empowered to pursue strict penalties against alleged offenders charged with robbery because there are alleged victims who can be used to emotionally appeal to juries.
A conviction for any robbery offense in Florida carries very severe consequences. If you were arrested or believe that you could be under investigation for allegedly committing a crime of this nature, you will want to immediately contact Terrezza Law before making any kind of statement to authorities or investigators.
John Terrezza is a criminal defense attorney in Pensacola who represents people accused of these crimes in Santa Rosa County, Walton County, Okaloosa County, and the greater Escambia County area. You can have our lawyer evaluate your case and answer all of your questions during a free initial consultation as soon as you call (850) 764-5291 today.
The multiple robbery crimes listed under Chapter 812 of the Florida Statutes all share four elements. In order to secure a conviction, a prosecutor will have to prove each of the following beyond a reasonable doubt:
The Florida Statutes establish multiple robbery offenses for different kinds of property and methods of theft. Such offenses include:
Under Florida Statute § 812.13, an alleged offender who carried no firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing a robbery can be charged with second-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 15 years in prison. If an alleged offender carried a firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing a robbery, this is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 30 years or life in prison.
Under Florida Statute § 812.131, robbery by sudden snatching is defined as the taking of money or other property from an alleged victim’s person when, in the course of the taking, the alleged victim was or became aware of the taking. The amount of force used by an alleged offender and/or whether the alleged victim offered any resistance has no impact on these charges.
If an alleged offender carried no firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing robbery by sudden snatching, this offense is a third-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $5,000 and/or up to five years in prison. If an alleged offender carried a firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing robbery by sudden snatching, this is a second-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 15 years in prison.
Under Florida Statute § 812.133, carjacking is defined as the taking of a motor vehicle which may be the subject of larceny from the person or custody of another party when, in the course of the taking, there is the use of force, violence, assault, or putting in fear.
If an alleged offender carried no firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing a carjacking, this offense is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 30 years in prison. If an alleged offender carried a firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing a carjacking, this is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to life in prison.
Under Florida Statute § 812.135, home-invasion robbery is defined as any robbery that occurs when the alleged offender enters a dwelling with the intent to commit a robbery and does commit a robbery of the occupants therein.
If an alleged offender carried no firearm, deadly weapon, or other weapon when committing home-invasion robbery, or if an alleged offender carried a weapon when committing home-invasion robbery, this offense is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to 30 years in prison. If an alleged offender carried a firearm or other deadly weapon when committing home-invasion robbery, this is a first-degree felony punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and/or up to life in prison.
Crime Reports | Pensacola Police Department — As part of an effort to keep the public fully informed of crime in neighborhoods around Escambia County, the Pensacola Police Department provides this interactive map of reported crime and incidents. Robbery is among the incident layers on the map, and you can customize the types of incidents you want to see as well as specific date ranges. You can also submit crime tips through this website.
Pensacola Police Department
711 North Hayne Street
Pensacola, FL 32501
(850) 435-1900
Florida Statewide Robbery by Firearm, 1971 - 2014 — View statewide robbery statistics compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Statistic includes total robberies, robberies by firearm, and robbery rates per 100,000 people. While the number of total robberies has seen a steady decline since 2007, more than 20,000 robberies have occurred in Florida every year since 1978.
Florida Standard Jury Instructions | Chapter 15: Robbery — You can read the standard jury instructions used in Florida cases of alleged robbery. Specific instructions in this chapter include robbery, carjacking, home-invasion robbery, robbery by sudden snatching, and resisting recovery of stolen property. It is important to remember that jury instructions are rarely used verbatim, but they do provide an accurate starting point for the instructions provided in such cases.
Are you being investigated or have you already been arrested for allegedly committing any kind of robbery in Florida? Criminal charges for violent offenses are aggressively prosecuted, so make sure to contact Terrezza Law for an even stronger defense.
Pensacola criminal defense attorney John Terrezza defends people accused of theft crimes in Milton, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, and many other areas in and around Escambia County. Call (850) 764-5291 or complete an online contact form right now to set up a free, confidential consultation that will let our lawyer review your case.
