Robbery vs Aggravated Robbery In Texas

The Dallas Police are investigating a series of 5 robberies that occurred  on the Katy Trail last week. The robberies are suspected of being committed by the same two individuals, one of whom threatens the victims with a silver hand gun. The press and citizens often use the term robbery to describe this type of criminal offense but in reality it is an aggravated robbery as opposed to a robbery. The difference has tremendous consequences in criminal law.

Under Texas law robbery is theft by force. Often called a ” strong armed robbery. If a person takes another’s possessions by physically grabbing them, pushing them down or hitting them and causes them any type of pain, then the crime is robbery. If an individual is shoplifting and during the course of that theft they hit or strike any person trying to stop them then they have elevated the offense to robbery. Texas robbery is a second degree felony that carries a two to twenty year penalty range. If a person has previous felony convictions then the punishment range can be enhanced up to 5 to life.

Texas Aggravated robbery occurs when a person takes property from another person by threatening them with a deadly weapon such as a gun or a knife. Texas aggravated robbery is a first degree felony that carries a penalty range from 5 years to life. An aggravated robbery conviction also carries serious consequences for a parole. a person convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to prison is serving aggravated time. Which means they must serve a half of what they are accessed in years in prison unless the term is greater than 60 years. So if a person is sentenced to 10 years in prison they must serve 5 years before they become eligible for parole.