Was it a Robbery or Extortion

“Robbery” and “extortion” are two very different crimes, and the punishment and insurance coverage for them are entirely different. One should be well aware of the differences between them for demanding the right punishment for the crime as well as for insurance reasons.

Robbery

“Robbery” is defined as when somebody takes anything of value from another person by threatening him, using force and intimidation, or any other kind of violence to get what he wants. In a robbery there is a victim. A “stickup or a “holdup” are two common examples of a robbery where victims are threatened to hand over valuables.  Robberies are categorized into different categories. It is considered a felony. The degree of the crime is decided as per the laws of a particular state/country. Each state/country has different laws. The degree of the felony is based on whether there was the presence of an accomplice or not, the kind of weapon that was used, and the amount or degree of violence used against the victim.

Different types of robbery include: [Classes are for crimes committed in the USA]

Class A felony -Aggravated robbery- This kind of robbery refers to the victim believing that a deadly weapon was present and could have been used to harm him and the presence of an accomplice. With the punishment commonly set at life imprisonment.

Class B felony- The Class C felony refers to intimidation and the use of a deadly weapon. This is punishable by law up to 40 years in jail. If the convict has prior charges then years of punishment are added to the sentence.

Class C felony- This kind of robbery refers to a felony where a physical assault was used or the victim was threatened with assault without the presence of a weapon. This felony is punishable by law up to 15 years in jail.

Extortion

Extortion refers to a person forcing another person to do something against the will by using threat to property or threat to the personal reputation or violence, sometimes financial damage or hardship. Usually money is involved, for example blackmailing and racketeering. The difference between robbery and extortion is that in robbery there is immediate threat to the victim whereas, in extortion the victim often willingly hands over money or property or valuables to avoid future violence or damage.  For extortion, the punishment is imprisonment or fine or in some cases both. Every state and country has a different law. When the extortion has been committed by a public officer, the penalty or punishment may include forfeiture of office, and imprisonment, which also depends on the circumstances and nature of the offense.

Thus:

·         In robbery the property or valuables are taken away from the victim without his consent.

·         In extortion the property or valuable are taken away from the victim with his consent, though it is unwilling.

·         In robbery the victim experiences immediate physical threat; in extortion the victim experiences immediate as well as future threat of different varieties like loss of money, reputation, life of a loved one etc.