Robbery

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Chapter 11

• Robbery

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Robbery

• The felonious taking of anothers property,
  either directly from the person or in that
  persons presence, through force or intimidation.

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Profile of a Robber

• Male
• Usually serial criminals who may commit 15-25
  robberies before being apprehended
• Egotistical braggarts
• Prone to boasting of their crimes

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Characteristics of Robberies

• Often committed with the use of stolen cars,
  plates, or both
• Committed by two or more people working together
• Offender lives within 100 miles of robbery
• Youths tend to act in groups and use strong-arm
  tactics more frequently than adults

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Characteristics of Robberies Continued

• Less physical evidence present after the crime
  than in other violent crimes
• Take much less time than other crimes
• Middle-aged and older people tend to be victims
• Robberies committed by a lone robber tend to
  involve lone victims and are often crimes of
  opportunity

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Classification of Robberies

• Residential
• Home invader
• Commercial
• Bank
• Street
• Vehicle driver
• Carjackings the taking of a motor vehicle by
  force or threat of force

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Residential Robberies

• Hotel and motel rooms, garages, elevators, and
  private homes
• Less frequent
• Entrance is gained by knocking and then forcing
  entrance when the occupant appears
• Early evening

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Commercial Robberies

• Convenience stores, loan companies, jewelry
  stores, liquor stores, gasoline or service
  stations, and bars
• End of the week
• Between 6 pm and 4 am
• Stores with poor visibility from the street and
  few employees on duty
• Committed by individuals with criminal records

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Bank Robbery

• Federal and State offense
• U.S. Code Title 12, 2113
• Two basic methods
• One-on-one robbery
• Takeover
• Committed by rank amateurs and habitual
  criminals.
• Often act alone, but often have a getaway car
  and/or lookouts

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Deterrents to Bank Robberies

• Bait money U.S. currency with recorded serial
  numbers placed at each teller position.
• Dye pack a bundle of currency containing a
  colored dye and tear gas.

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ATM Robberies

• Usually occur at night in poorly lit area
• Highest risk between midnight and 4 a.m.
• Mostly committed by lone offender against a lone
  victim
• Offender usually uses some type of weapon
• Target walk-up ATMs

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Responses to Reduce ATM Robberies

• Ensuring adequate lighting at and around ATMs
• Ensuring the landscaping around the ATMs allows
  for good visibility
• Installing rearview mirrors on ATMs
• Installing ATMs where there is a lot of natural
  surveillance
• Installing ATMs in police stations

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Responses to Reduce ATM Robberies Continued

• Relocating, closing, or limiting the hours of
  operation of ATMs at high-risk sites
• Providing ATM users with safety tips
• Installing and monitoring surveillance cameras at
  and around ATMs
• Installing devises to allow victims to summon
  police during a robbery

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Street Robberies

• Committed on public streets and sidewalks and in
  alleys and parking lots
• Weapon involved
• Both victim and robber are usually on foot
• Speed and surprise
• Little or no advance planning involved

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Challenges in Investigating Robberies

• Usually not reported until the offender leaves
  the scene
• Difficult to obtain good descriptions or positive
  identification from victims
• The items taken, usually currency, are difficult
  to identify

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When Responding to a Robbery-in-progress Call

• Proceed as rapidly as possible using extreme
  caution
• Assume the robber is at the scene, unless
  otherwise advised
• Be prepared for gunfire
• Look for and immobilize any potential getaway
  vehicle you discover
• Avoid a hostage situation if possible
• Make an immediate arrest if the suspect is at the
  scene

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Priorities in a Hostage Situation

• Preserve life
• Apprehend the hostage-taker
• Recover or protect property
• Stockholm Syndrome occurs when hostages report
  they have no ill feelings toward the hostage
  takers and that they feared the police more than
  they feared their captor(s).

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Investigation

• Immediately canvass the neighborhood
• Check motels and hotels in the area
• Look for discarded property
• Check car rental agencies
• Check airports, bus and train stations and taxi
  companies
• Have a sketch of the suspect prepared and
  circulate it
• Check known fences
• Check M.O files
• Check police field interview/contact forms

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Important M.O. Information

• Type of robbery
• Time (day and hour)
• Method of attack (real or threatened)
• Weapon
• Number of robbers
• Voice and words
• Vehicle used
• Peculiarities
• Object sought

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Indicators of False Reports

• Unusual delay in reporting the offense
• Amount of the loss not fitting the victims
  apparent financial status
• Lack of correspondence with the physical evidence
• Improbable events
• Exceptionally detailed or exceptionally vague
  description of the offender
• Lack of cooperation

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