What is the difference between aggravated burglary and robbery (UK Law)?
That’s a good point. Aggravated burglary is committed by a person who enters a building as a trespasser with intent to commit theft, criminal damage, GBH or rape, or having entered as a trespasser commits theft or criminal damage, and while doing so has a weapon of offence. A weapon of offence can mean the usual as well as things like handcuffs or rope to tie people up. The mere use of force does not make it aggravated burglary, ie if a burglar punched somebody in the house, it would not be classed as aggravated burglary (see Section 10 Theft Act1968). Robbery is a theft where at the time of the theft or immediately prior to it, force or the threat of force is used to carry out the theft. (seee Section 8 Theft Act 1968) Many aggravated burglaries are also robberies, assuming the burglar has a weapon. I used to charge with robbery as juries seem to understand it better. Obviously, a robbery can be committed outside a building and does not need a weapon. Both carry maximum sentences of l
