Raleigh Robbery and Burglary Defense Lawyer
Were you arrested and charged with burglary or robbery in Raleigh or the surrounding area? If so, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney in your corner.
At Kurtz & Blum, PLLC, our respected criminal defense lawyers will fight the charges against you every step of the way, while identifying any opportunities to have the charges reduced or dropped. With over 50 years of combined legal experience, we know how these types of cases are prosecuted. We do everything in our power to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients.
Contact our robbery and burglary defense attorneys immediately to schedule your confidential consultation. Our respected criminal defense attorneys will give you an honest assessment of your case and explain what we can do to help you.
What Is Armed Robbery?
North Carolina uses the common law definition of robbery. This is that someone uses intimidation, fear, violence, or another type of force to unlawfully take money, jewelry, or other property from another person directly or from a business or home in the immediate presence of another person.
The charge rises to armed robbery when someone uses or threatens to use a dangerous weapon ─ such as a knife, gun, bat, boxcutter, or any other item that could inflict bodily harm ─ in order to intimidate someone into giving over property.
Robbery vs. Burglary
Robbery and burglary are distinct and different crimes in the eyes of the law. Courts consider robbery a violent crime, while burglary doesn’t always involve force.
With robbery, the theft of property is always an element in the crime. Plus it typically involves force or violence against another person the time of the crime. Some examples include a person forcibly taking jewelry directly off another person’s body or holding up a bank and intimidating the employees and other patrons inside in order to take cash.
On the other hand, a person doesn’t have to take anything to be convicted of burglary. Burglary involves a person illegally entering a business, home, or other building with the intent to take something or commit another felony once inside. Additionally, burglary doesn’t necessarily involve the use of force or intimidation. A person can still be charged with burglary even if no one else was in the building.
North Carolina law also has specific rules for train robbery, where someone uses threats to take something from someone on a train, and safecracking, where a person unlawfully enters, opens, or takes a safe to steal or tamper with its contents.
Potential Penalties
North Carolina law classifies armed robbery as a Class D felony and common robbery as a Class G felony when a perpetrator successfully takes something from someone else. Penalties for robbery convictions typically include prison time, supervised probation, community punishment or heavy fines. The court might add more prison time or other penalties if the person is facing additional charges on top of robbery.
However, if someone attempts a robbery and is unsuccessful, the person will typically face a lesser charge. Additionally, the exact penalty that a court issues for robbery or burglary will depend on a variety of factors, such as the harm the victim suffered because of the crime and the defendant’s prior criminal history.
Common Defenses in Robbery Cases
To successfully convict someone of robbery, the state must use lawful evidence to prove that the accused person committed the act and caused the injuries or harm alleged. If police obtained this evidence through illegal means, such as unlawful search or seizure, then the state can’t use this proof in court.
Some other common defenses against robbery charges include:
- Mistaken identity, such as when a defendant is wrongly charged with a crime because he or she looks like someone else
- No use of fear or force to take the property
- False accusations, like when someone accuses another person of robbery to get back at the person for something
- No one was in the immediate area when the alleged robbery occurred
- The accused was retrieving property that was lawfully theirs
- Lack of intent
- The property that was allegedly stolen didn’t actually belong to the person or business it was taken from
How a Robbery Defense Attorney in Raleigh Can Help You
Some of the things a robbery defense attorney can do to help with your case include:
- Get to know your side of the story, answer any questions you have, and help you understand your legal options
- Gather evidence needed to support your defense
- Identify and exploit weaknesses and mistakes in the prosecutor’s claims and evidence
- Aggressively negotiate on your behalf with the goal of getting charges dropped or reduced
- Help you prepare for court and advocate for your best interests at trial and during sentencing
- Give you and your family the support and encouragement you need throughout this stressful process
Contact the Raleigh Criminal Defense Lawyers at Kurtz & Blum Today
At Kurtz & Blum, PLLC, we are not only dedicated to serving clients with our exceptional legal skills. We are also committed to treating clients with the respect and personalized attention they deserve.
If you are facing robbery or burglary charges, don’t wait to get the help you need from the firm you can trust. Call our experienced Raleigh robbery and burglary defense lawyers right away to schedule your confidential consultation.
