Are You A Minor Facing Theft Or Robbery Charges?

As a minor, it is often difficult to imagine how the things you do while you are legally a child may affect your future. Unfortunately, even for minors, some criminal charges can carry serious consequences.

Sometimes the difference between a relatively minor mistake and a more serious criminal charge is very small. When it comes to property crimes, the difference between robbery and theft is very small, but can mean very different sentences if you receive a conviction.

If you recently received robbery or theft charges, you deserve to consult with an experienced attorney to discuss your legal defense options. Any criminal charges are a serious matter, and as a minor, you don’t want to set your whole life’s path headed in a dangerous direction before you even reach adulthood.

Do not wait to consult with an attorney to help protect your rights and future. A defense attorney can help you understand the different sides of your case and help you build a strong defense against the charges.

Theft or robbery?

The line between these two is small, but important. In general terms, theft happens when one person takes another person’s property without his of her consent, with no intention of returning the property.

This could happen many ways. Maybe you and a friend enter a house to take some valuables while no one is there. If you take property, then you may face theft charges. Similarly, if you grab a person’s purse or carrying bag and run away with it, this also generally qualifies as theft.

Robbery, on the other hand, usually involves some act of violence or threat of harm while taking someone else’s property without his or her consent. The addition of violence or the threat of violence turns this from theft to robbery, which is a much more serious crime.

Using our previous examples, let’s imagine you and a friend enter into a home to take some property and find the owner is home. You’re surprised when you see the owner and take out a knife or a gun. Now, you’ve implied a threat of violence to the owner of the property, which takes it into robbery territory.

Similarly, if you hit or shove a person to the ground as you take his or her purse or carrying bag, this may qualify as violence or the threat of violence, turning a simple purse snatching into a potential robbery charge.

Get the help you need quickly

If you face these charges or something similar, you must act quickly to protect your future. In many cases, an experienced attorney can help you build a defense that seeks to reduce your charges or dismiss them entirely. With proper legal counsel, you can ensure that your rights remain protected throughout the process.