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28 Feb 2022

In the UK, the law can be a bit complicated, and nowhere is this more evident than in criminal law and the surrounding terminologies. For instance, what is the difference between robbery, burglary and theft? Should you contact the same type of solicitor if you are accused of these crimes? And what are the sentencing rules that surround them?

At ABV Solicitors, our criminal solicitor is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to defend our clients and will always ensure that your legal rights are protected while aiming to minimise the sentence or punishment. We take the representation of our clientele seriously and will fight for you to the high standard that you expect.

In this guide, our criminal solicitor will introduce you to the terminology surrounding theft, burglary and robbery and will help you make sense of these accusations and their sentences.

Theft

According to our criminal solicitor and the legislation, theft occurs if someone dishonestly appropriates property that belongs to someone else, to never return, thus diminishing the original owner of it.

This applies in instances such as shoplifting, pickpocketing, stealing a car or stealing stock from one’s place of work.

The maximum sentence in the UK for theft is 7 years imprisonment.

Burglary

Burglary is committed when someone enters a building as a trespasser with the intent to steal, cause grievous bodily harm or cause damage.

There are 3 types of burglary;

• Domestic burglary: this occurs in a home or dwelling and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years.
• Non-domestic burglary: this occurs in premises besides a residential setting and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
• Aggravated burglary: this occurs in either of the above settings, but a weapon is used or is present; it carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Robbery

Under UK law, robbery is defined as a person stealing from another person but to do so, applies force to someone who was in the area at the time. In other words, if a car is stolen and the driver isn’t simply removed but is assaulted, this is considered robbery. The same is true for mugging.

Due to the addition of violence in cases of robbery, it is seen as more serious than theft and comes with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Considerations

In all of the aforementioned cases, some considerations can have the sentences reduced or removed altogether.

For instance, if someone is accused of theft but has a memory impairment due to injury, illness or degeneration, then it is highly likely that the charges will be dropped. While they removed an item, they did not intend to do so with malicious intent and simply forgot they had removed it.

With burglary, there may be extenuating circumstances; all the people involved may not have intended to burgle and may have been coerced into taking part in the activity against their will. This is often a defence for minors involved in burglary or those who have a learning disability or mental health issue that makes them vulnerable. The same is true for instances of robbery.

If you have been accused of any of these crimes and need advice, call our team at ABV Solicitors today.