720 ILCS 5/18-1 – Robbery; Aggravated Robbery
This law explains what counts as robbery and aggravated robbery in Illinois, and the punishments for each.
This statute says that taking something from someone by force or threat is robbery. If the robber pretends to have a weapon or drugs the victim, it becomes aggravated robbery, which is a more serious crime.
(a) Robbery. A person commits robbery when they knowingly take someone else’s property (other than a vehicle) either directly from them or near them, by using force or by threatening to use force.
(b) Aggravated robbery.
- A person commits aggravated robbery when they do a robbery and make the victim think they have a weapon, like a gun, knife, or club, even if they don’t actually have one.
- A person also commits aggravated robbery if they take property from another person by giving them, without consent and not for medical reasons, a drug or other controlled substance, or by threatening or tricking them into taking it.
(c) Sentence: Robbery is usually a Class 2 felony. But if the victim is 60 or older, has a physical disability, or if the robbery happens in a school, day care, or place of worship, then it becomes a Class 1 felony. Aggravated robbery is always a Class 1 felony.
(d) For crimes that happen in a day care or child care center, it doesn’t matter what time of day or year it happened, or if children were there at the time – the same penalty applies.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Southern Illinois criminal defense lawyer.
