ARMED ROBBERY

Armed robbery is a very serious felony charge in Mississippi. Whether your gun was loaded or not, you could be facing extremely stiff penalties and sentencing. Depending upon the situation, you could be facing up to life in prison. Armed robbery is taken much more seriously than a simple robbery or burglary charge because a weapon is involved. It’s not uncommon to face a variety of additional charges too, so your top priority needs to be speaking with a defense attorney as soon as possible.

The Elements of an Armed Robbery Case 

• Theft of another person’s property in the presence of that person 
• Actual or threatened force against that person 
• Attempting to put that person in fear

Armed Robbery is Not the Same as Burglary

Robbery and burglary are two completely different things. In a burglary, there may not be anybody present at the time of the theft. In a robbery, you’re actively taking somebody’s property from them by force. The justice system is also much harder or people accused of armed robbery than of burglary. The idea is that a robbery is putting somebody’s life in harm’s way, where a burglary might be slightly lower risk where safety for victims is concerned. Regardless of what charges you’re facing, you need to talk to an attorney, swiftly. Don’t hang your hopes on a busy public defender.

Different Types of Armed Robbery

What if my Gun Wasn’t Loaded?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter if your gun was loaded or not. In fact, it’s also possible to be convicted of armed robbery if you used a fake gun, toy gun or replica firearm or if you make somebody believe you had a gun. The force can be ‘actual’ or ‘threatened.’ Listed below are just a few examples of different items that can be considered as weapons in an armed robbery.