Criminal Justice 2011 Chapter 10: ROBBERY Criminal Investigation The Art and the Science by Michael D. Lyman Copyright 2011

CHAPTER SUMMARY 10.1 Understand the motivations behind the crime of robbery. 10.2 Identify the legal elements of the crime of robbery. 10.3 List the steps to follow in the preliminary investigation of robbery offenses. 10.4 Identify various types of physical evidence found in robberies. 10.5 Appreciate the role of the witness in a robbery investigation. 10.6 Explain the function of the neighborhood canvass during a preliminary investigation.

Understand the motivations behind the crime of robbery. Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.1 Understand the motivations behind the crime of robbery.

10.1 Robbery Motives Money Thrills Drugs and alcohol The primary motivation for robbery is to obtain money, although some juvenile robbers are also motivated by peer influence and the quest for “thrills.” Drug and alcohol use is also common among street criminals and may influence their decisions to choose a particular criminal technique. Indeed, statistics reveal that robbers who use drugs are twice as active as those who do not.

10.1 Robbery Down 2.2% Lecture Notes: Robbery is down as compared to the 2007 rate as reported by the FBI UCR report.

Bank Robberies Reported to the FBI   10.1 Bank Robberies Reported to the FBI Here are the totals for all Bank incidents in 2010 including robberies: Robberies Burglaries Larcenies Commercial Banks 4997 57 5 Mutual Savings Banks 47 4 Savings and Loan Associations 103 2 Credit Unions 396 11 1 Armored Company 3 Total 5,546 74 8   Lecture Notes: Retrieved on April 15, 2011 from http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/bank-crime-statistics-2010/bank-crime-statistics-2010

10.1 Total $$ Taken Total Loot Taken in 2010 broken down by type Cash $42,535,474.99 Securities—Face Value $301.00 Checks (Including Traveler’s Checks) $479,523.08 Food Stamps $0.00 Other Property $800.00 Total $43,016,099.07 Photo placeholder Loot Taken and Recovered Loot was taken in 5,102 (91 percent) of the 5,628 incidents. Loot taken is itemized as shown.

10.1 Robbery Statistics $$$ $1321 average per robbery taken in robberies $1321 average per robbery $4201average bank robbery Lecture Notes: The average dollar loss for robberies in 2007. The highest loss, not surprisingly is for bank robberies.

Identify the legal elements of the crime of robbery. Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.2 Identify the legal elements of the crime of robbery.

10.2 Robbery Defined The Uniform Crime Reporting Program defines robbery as the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence or by putting the victim in fear

Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.3 List the steps to follow in the preliminary investigation of robbery offenses.

Robbery Investigation Steps 10.3 Robbery Investigation Steps One: Respond to the scene - no lights or siren Two: Assess the situation/handle emergencies/make arrest Three: Protect the crime scene Four: Identify and briefly interview witnesses Lecture Notes: These are the steps necessary to investigate most robberies. Of course, every situation is different and some steps may be out of order or may not take place. Five: Send out crime broadcast Six: Thoroughly interview witnesses Seven: Recover video recordings, collect evidence, document scene

Robbery Investigation 10.3 Robbery Investigation Conviction Physical Evidence Testimonial Evidence Lecture Notes: Successful investigations includes both physical evidence and solid interviews of the victim(s) and witnesses. Typically, little physical evidence is found at robbery scenes

Identify various types of physical evidence found in robberies. Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.4 Identify various types of physical evidence found in robberies.

Evidence in Robbery Investigations 10.4 Evidence in Robbery Investigations Fingerprints Binding material DNA Fired cartridges Lecture Notes: These are examples of possible evidence at a robbery crime scene. Physical evidence is rare and the amount of evidence is usually small due to: The short time it takes to consummate the crime The lack of physical contact between the victim and the suspect The precautions that robbers take to avoid traditional evidence being left at the scene Notes

Robbery Investigation 10.4 Robbery Investigation Collecting Evidence Photo placeholder Lecture Notes: A critical step in robbery investigation is to collect any physical evidence that might be present. Here is an example of two kinds of evidence. Photographic or video evidence of the suspect in the act of committing the crime. The robbery note – which contains potentially four kinds of evidence A. DNA B. Handwriting C. Fingerprints D. Paper matches

Appreciate the role of the witness in a robbery investigation. Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.5 Appreciate the role of the witness in a robbery investigation.

Robbery Investigations 10.5 Robbery Investigations Witnesses Photo placeholder Lecture Notes: Many times robberies are not public events but witnesses should always be sought out for… Description of the suspect Identification of the suspect once one is located Corroboration of the victim - to eliminate “inside” jobs or staged events or fabricated robberies to cover for employee theft

Offer rewards or seek informants 10.5 Finding Witnesses At the scene Neighborhood canvas Crime stoppers Offer rewards or seek informants Lecture Notes: These are the best ways to locate witnesses in robbery cases. Many times witnesses are reluctant to cooperate or come forward out fear and out of a reluctance to “get involved” as most times, the public perceives that retaliation is a real threat.

Learning Objectives After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome 10.6 Explain the function of the neighborhood canvass during a preliminary investigation.

The Neighborhood Canvas 10.6 The Neighborhood Canvas Seek witness near likely escape routes and question residents and business owners in the area . In addition, while the canvass is in progress, officers should look for evidence discarded by the suspect during his or her escape. Because many citizens are apprehensive about the presence of officers at their residence, investigators should immediately state their intended purpose is to place the citizen at ease. It is also important for the officer to stress the significance of all information, regardless of how meaningless it appears to the citizen. Specific questions include whether the citizen observed anyone meeting the description of the suspect or the getaway vehicle. Additionally, it should be determined if anyone heard anything of interest to the officer, such as a car door slamming, gunshots, or tires screeching. The neighborhood canvass is also critical in the event that the robber is hiding somewhere close to the robbery location. Therefore, investigators should look in parked cars, dumpsters, and alleyways for the hidden suspect. In addition, local motels or hotels in surrounding towns and car rental companies should also be checked. When speaking to residents in the area of the robbery, it is advantageous to have a sketch of what the suspect looks like. The sketch could also be circulated throughout the community along with the establishment of a “tip line” for anonymous information.

The Neighborhood Canvas 10.6 The Neighborhood Canvas While the canvass is in progress, officers should look for evidence discarded by the suspect during his or her escape.

The Neighborhood Canvas 10.6 The Neighborhood Canvas Because many citizens are apprehensive about the presence of officers at their residence, investigators should immediately state their intended purpose is to place the citizen at ease.

The Neighborhood Canvas 10.6 The Neighborhood Canvas Seek witness near likely escape routes and question residents and business owners in the area . In addition, while the canvass is in progress, officers should look for evidence discarded by the suspect during his or her escape. Because many citizens are apprehensive about the presence of officers at their residence, investigators should immediately state their intended purpose is to place the citizen at ease. It is also important for the officer to stress the significance of all information, regardless of how meaningless it appears to the citizen. Specific questions include whether the citizen observed anyone meeting the description of the suspect or the getaway vehicle. Additionally, it should be determined if anyone heard anything of interest to the officer, such as a car door slamming, gunshots, or tires screeching. The neighborhood canvass is also critical in the event that the robber is hiding somewhere close to the robbery location. Therefore, investigators should look in parked cars, dumpsters, and alleyways for the hidden suspect. In addition, local motels or hotels in surrounding towns and car rental companies should also be checked. When speaking to residents in the area of the robbery, it is advantageous to have a sketch of what the suspect looks like. The sketch could also be circulated throughout the community along with the establishment of a “tip line” for anonymous information.

The Neighborhood Canvas 10.6 The Neighborhood Canvas It is important for the officer to stress the significance of all information, regardless of how meaningless it appears to the citizen. Specific questions include whether the citizen observed anyone meeting the description of the suspect or the getaway vehicle. Additionally, it should be determined if anyone heard anything of interest to the officer, such as a car door lamming, gunshots, or tires screeching. The neighborhood canvass is also critical in the event that the robber is hiding somewhere close to the robbery location. Therefore, investigators should look in parked cars, dumpsters, and alleyways for the hidden suspect. In addition, local motels or hotels in surrounding towns and car rental companies should also be checked. When speaking to residents in the area of the robbery, it is advantageous to have a sketch of what the suspect looks like. The sketch could also be circulated throughout the community along with the establishment of a “tip line” for anonymous information.

Learning Objectives Robbery In General… After this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcome Robbery In General…

Robbery Types Based on the location Commercial Street Residential School Lecture Notes: Other researchers classify robbery types by their location. Includes banks and stores Home invasion robbery Includes carjacking and pedestrians Generally shakedowns at schools

Robbery Types Based on the location Lecture Notes: Here is a breakdown of the percentages by location. Note that bank robbery is a relatively rare robbery. Why is that? Most know that security and training of bank employees results in a higher probability of getting caught.

Bank Security Photo placeholder Lecture Notes: Typical multi-camera surveillance of a bank robbery. This is why banks are not often robbed – along with other security measures such as Dye packs Silent alarms Armed guards Multiple alarm triggers Bank Security

Robber Types Based on the force involved Armed Robbery Strong-arm Robbery Threatened Weapon Robbery Lecture Notes: Here are the types of robberies based on the force that is either used or threatened. Statistically, few injuries or deaths occur during robberies. A weapon, usually a gun or a knife is displayed Physical force is either used or threatened A weapon is not displayed but the robber says he has one

Robber Types Based on the typology Professional Robber Opportunistic Robber Drug Addict Robber Alcoholic Robber Lecture Notes: Some researchers classify robberies by the type of person who commits the robbery. Includes gang members who rob Needs cash to supply the habit Typically a younger perpetrator Generally sloppy planners and use random victims

Class Exercise Classify this robbery by type, location, and force Photo placeholder Class Activity: Divide the class into groups of four Based on the information in this picture, instruct the class to classify the robbery based on type, location, and force Have the students develop a list of questions for the victim interview (at least 10 questions) and then have each group report back the whole group.

CHAPTER REVIEW 8.1 Summarize the trends and elements of robbery. 8.2 Differentiate between the types of robbery. 8.3 Identify robber types and characteristics. Explain how a robbery investigation is conducted. 8.4 Describe the use of evidence and witnesses in robbery investigations. 8.5 CLASS ACTIVITY: Divide the class into groups of 2 or 3 and assign one of these objectives to each group of students and present to the entire class.