Robbery & Carjacking Rates Increase in Oakland
The city of Oakland is no stranger to robberies and car burglaries. But these crime rates are particularly high in 2021 compared to 2020. In fact, Oakland Police Chief said back in April that the city experienced alarming rates of robberies and carjackings. The city tallied 149 carjackings from January to April 2021, compared to 57 total carjackings in all of 2020. The city tallied 340 robberies in the same months, versus 226 robberies in 2020.
In addition, 63 of the 66 largest police jurisdictions saw increases in at least one category of violent crimes in 2020, which include homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, according to a report produced by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
This data shows the staggering increase in robberies and car burglaries in Oakland. These numbers may continue to skyrocket for the remainder of 2021. Experts speculate that the reason for increases in certain crimes is the “perfect storm” of factors present during the pandemic. These factors include:
- Economic collapse
- Social anxiety
- De-policing in major cities due to protests
- Shifts in police resources from suburbs to cities due to protests
- Pre-trial release of defendants to help reduce the spread of COVID-19
Our attorney defends the criminally accused, and for these reasons, we feel the need to inform you of the potential penalties you could face if convicted of robbery or a car burglary. We understand that times are hard because of the pandemic, driving people to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do if things were normal. The saying, “desperate times call for desperate measures” may hold for those accused of robbery and carjacking offenses, and our lawyer is here to help.
We explain California’s law and penalties for robbery and car burglary below.
Robbery Law in California
Robbery is defined as the felonious taking of personal property in the possession of another, from their person or immediate presence, and against their will, accomplished by means of force or fear. For these reasons, robbery is not considered merely a theft offense but also a violent crime.
“Fear “ may be either:
- The fear of an unlawful injury to the person or their property, or of any relative of their family
- The fear of an immediate and unlawful injury to the person or property of anyone in the presence of the person being robbed
First-Degree Robbery
Robbery in the first degree is punishable by 3, 6, or 9 years in state prison. It is committed when a person voluntarily acts in concert with 2 or more people to commit robbery in an inhabited dwelling house, trailer coach, a vessel designed for inhabitation, or an inhabited floating home. First-degree robbery can be committed against an operator or passenger of a bus, taxi, cable car, trolley, train, Uber, Lyft, or another fare-based mode of transportation. Robbery is also a crime of the first degree when it’s committed against a person using an ATM or a person who had just used an ATM and is nearby the machine.
Second-Degree Robbery
All other kinds of robbery are of the second-degree, which is punishable by 2, 3, or 5 years in prison. We know this definition sounds vague, but essentially, any robbery that’s NOT committed against someone in a house, apartment, business, or transportation vehicle commits robbery of the second degree. Mugging someone in an alleyway or bus stop, for instance, is considered second-degree robbery.
What Is Carjacking?
Carjacking is a type of robbery that is committed with the intent to temporarily or permanently deprive the owner or passenger of possession of the motor vehicle. In California, “carjacking” is the felonious taking of another person’s motor vehicle from their person or immediate presence, or the person or immediate presence of a passenger, against their will and by means of force or fear.
So, what happens if you steal a car and get caught? Carjacking is punishable by imprisonment for 3, 5, or 9 years. Not to mention, an offender may have to pay victim restitution in amounts equal to the value of the stolen vehicle, and more.
Arrested? We Are Your First Line of Defense.
An arrest for robbery or carjacking is serious, meaning you need serious defense.
As the Bay Area’s top criminal defense lawyer, you can count on Attorney Ahmed to aggressively fight your charges and work towards a favorable outcome, such as reduced or dismissed charges. We can even explore alternatives to incarceration, such as drug court or probation, depending on your circumstances.
Get started on your defense by contacting us online or at (510) 907-6600!