Theft is a serious crime, but when it includes the use of force on another person, it becomes a robbery in the eyes of the law. Both crimes involve perpetrators taking something that does not belong to them, but when that person uses a weapon or some other means to compel a victim to hand over the property, it is considered an even more serious violation. When a person is accused of committing a robbery, he or she will need to consider a strategy for criminal defense to facilitate the best possible outcome and ensure that the accused is treated fairly by the judicial system. A recent alleged armed robbery and attempted carjackinghere in Maryland may necessitate a strong criminal defense.
According to police, the accused man attempted to carjack a woman and her vehicle at a gas station on a recent evening. He then allegedly went into a nearby Walmart and used a knife to demand money from a cashier. She claims she ran away from him and that the man then left the store. Another witness claims the man was spotted looking into vehicles in another parking lot in the area. That witness called police who responded and found the suspect in a shopping area nearby.
Police arrested the man and charged him with multiple counts of first-degree assault, one for second-degree assault, armed robbery and attempted armed carjacking. They claim that they have evidence to believe the man they arrested was responsible for all of these separate incidents. No one was injured and there is no word on a pending court date at this time.
Those accused of these types of crimes may need the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney. The punishments for armed robbery and other related crimes can be jail time, fines and probation, not to mention the difficulty an accused person may have obtaining future employment due to a criminal record. People in Maryland facing charges of theft, robbery or other similar crimes will want to ensure that they understand their available options and have an advocate who will fight for them to be treated fairly.