Robbery is the felonious taking of property by means of force or threat. Robbery is both a serious felony and a strike, and a conviction can not only land you in prison, but can escalate the consequences of future convictions.
When most people think of a stereotypical robbery, they think of someone assaulting another person or threatening them with violence or a weapon in order to steal that other person’s personal property, but robberies are also frequently charged in shoplifting incidents where a would-be thief uses minimal force or threat to escape a store with merchandise.
This latter type of situation is known as an Estes robbery based on the California case that established the precedent allowing prosecutors to proceed with robbery charges in shoplifting with force incidents.
If you have been charged with an Estes robbery, the particular facts of the incident can make the difference between escaping the case with a misdemeanor burglary or theft conviction or ending up on probation or in prison for a serious strike felony. Call Mr. Ganschow to set up a free consultation to discuss your case and get an idea of what sort of strategy might be useful for you.