Legal Definitions - aggravated robbery

Aggravated robbery is a more serious form of the crime of robbery. While basic robbery involves taking property from another person by using force or threats, aggravated robbery includes additional circumstances that make the crime significantly more dangerous and therefore subject to harsher legal penalties.

These aggravating factors typically involve:

• The use or display of a deadly weapon (such as a gun, knife, or even an object used as a weapon).
• Causing serious physical injury to the victim during the commission of the robbery.
• Having an accomplice present or acting with multiple perpetrators.
• Targeting a particularly vulnerable victim (e.g., an elderly or disabled person).

Here are some examples illustrating aggravated robbery:

• Example 1: Use of a Deadly Weapon
  A person enters a small grocery store, pulls out a knife, and holds it to the cashier while demanding money from the register. The cashier, fearing for their life, complies. The perpetrator then flees with the cash.

  Explanation: This scenario constitutes aggravated robbery because the perpetrator used a deadly weapon (the knife) to threaten the victim and facilitate the theft, making the crime far more dangerous than a simple theft or strong-arm robbery.

• Example 2: Causing Serious Bodily Injury
  During a late-night street mugging, a perpetrator attempts to snatch a pedestrian's backpack. When the pedestrian resists, the perpetrator violently shoves them to the ground, causing the victim to hit their head and suffer a severe concussion and a broken collarbone, requiring extensive medical treatment. The perpetrator then takes the backpack and runs away.

  Explanation: This is an example of aggravated robbery because, in addition to taking property by force, the perpetrator inflicted serious bodily injury on the victim, significantly increasing the harm and severity of the crime.

• Example 3: Multiple Perpetrators Targeting a Vulnerable Victim
  Two individuals plan to rob an elderly person withdrawing cash from an ATM. As the victim completes their transaction, one individual distracts them by asking for directions while the other quickly snatches the cash from their hand and pushes them aside, causing the victim to stumble and fall, sustaining minor scrapes and a sprained wrist. Both perpetrators then escape together.

  Explanation: This situation illustrates aggravated robbery due to the involvement of multiple individuals working in concert to commit the crime, which increases the level of threat and intimidation. Furthermore, targeting a potentially vulnerable victim (an elderly person) can also be considered an aggravating factor in many jurisdictions.