{"id":377003,"date":"2018-05-25T11:50:27","date_gmt":"2018-05-25T16:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/virginia-law\/virginia-robbery-laws.html"},"modified":"2018-05-25T14:19:52","modified_gmt":"2018-05-25T19:19:52","slug":"virginia-robbery-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/virginia-law\/virginia-robbery-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Robbery Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Virginia Robbery Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last reviewed\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Simply put, robbery is theft<\/a> with the added element of taking property through force or the threat of force. Since it involves the use of force or threat of force, it's generally treated as a more serious crime than theft. While many states have their own definition of robbery, it was defined at common law<\/a> as the taking of another person's property, with intent to permanently deprive them of the property, by means of force or fear.<\/p>\r\n

Since Virginia robbery laws don't define the elements of the crime, it's safe to assume that robbery is defined similarly to common law. It's important to note that if a person kills someone in a "willful, deliberate, and premeditated" manner while committing a robbery or attempted robbery, it's classified as capital murder<\/a> and punishable as a Class 1 felony. Additionally, if a person enters a house with intent to commit certain felonies, including robbery, they're guilty of statutory burglary<\/a>, which is a Class 3 felony if they didn't have a deadly weapon and a Class 2 felony if they did.<\/p>\r\n

Virginia Robbery Laws at a Glance<\/h2>\r\n

When researching the law, it's critical to read the actual language of a statute. Usually, however, statutes are written in "legalese" making them hard to understand. That's why it can be helpful to also read a summary of the statute in plain English. The following chart provides just that: a summary of Virginia robbery laws and links to relevant statutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Statute(s)<\/b><\/td>\r\nVirginia Code Section 18.2-58<\/a> (Robbery Punishment<\/i>)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Charges and Penalties<\/b><\/td>\r\n

A person is guilty of a felony, punishable by 5 years to life in prison, if they commit a robbery by:<\/p>\r\n

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  • Suffocation;<\/li>\r\n
  • Partial strangulation;<\/li>\r\n
  • Hitting, beating, or other violence;<\/li>\r\n
  • Assaulting or otherwise putting a person in fear of serious bodily harm; or<\/li>\r\n
  • Threatening or showing a deadly weapon (such as a gun).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Related Crime<\/b><\/td>\r\n

Section 18.2-58.1<\/a> (Carjacking<\/i>)<\/p>\r\n

Related Statute(s)<\/b><\/td>\r\n