What is the difference between robbery and theft?

In Alabama, the law treats stealing differently depending upon the circumstances behind it. The court will examine how much force you use, what you steal and the total worth of the stolen product. Based on that, they will make charges and dole out penalties. Today we will look at what differentiates some of these charges. 

First we will look at robbery and theft. Both of them involve stealing, but they involve different uses of force. Robbery is an act that involves the use of intimidation or force to part an owner from the item you want to take. You are usually stealing from another person without consent. You must use force or the threat of force to get the item in question. You must also intend to keep the item permanently. This is why armed bank heists are robberies, but someone breaking into a safe after hours is theft. 

For theft, the requirements are a little more vague. You must take property or money without permission. You must carry this item away. You must also have no intention of ever returning it. This is less violent due to the lack of threatening behavior. For that reason, it is often treated with some leniency by law. You can still face heavy fines, fees and even time in jail, though. 

Are you curious to read more about theft crimes? You can visit our web page on the same topic here. Take a look at how the law treats different theft crimes. You can look at the penalties each crime can invoke as well.