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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 10.1
Robbery
Down 2.2%
Lecture Notes:
Robbery is down as compared to the 2007 rate as reported by the FBI UCR report.

6. 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

7. 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
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Loot Taken and Recovered
Loot was taken in 5,102 (91 percent) of the 5,628 incidents. Loot taken is itemized as shown.

8. 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.

9. 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. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

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

27. 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

28. 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.

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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.

33. 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.