Introduction

This robbery crime toolkit is one of a series of twenty-two, designed to help all those involved in crime reduction and community safety to work as effectively as possible. The toolkit brings together information on the latest developments, research findings and promising approaches to reducing robbery and related street crimes. It includes tools for identifying problems, developing responses and monitoring progress as well as highlighting practical measures to make communities safer.

The detailed section ‘What do we know about robbery?’ illustrates that this category of crime is very much on the increase within England and Wales. But how is robbery defined? Robbery is an offence against the 1968 Theft Act, and it has two key elements Theft and Force.

A person is deemed to be guilty of robbery if he ‘Steals and immediately before or at the time of doing so, and in order to steal uses force or puts or seeks to put a person in fear of being then and there subjected to force’

Contrary to Section 8 Theft Act 1968

Throughout this toolkit, the term ‘street crime’ is occasionally used. The Metropolitan Police have defined street crime as, ‘Robbery, often called 'mugging', and also includes thefts from victims in the street where property is snatched and the victim is not assaulted.’ Whilst this is not a universally agreed definition it helps us to better understand the term ‘Mugging’ referred to frequently by the media and in the British Crime Survey (BCS).

The Crime Reduction Strategy launched by the Government last November, sets out the steps to reduce crime and how police, local authorities, crime and disorder reduction partnerships and government departments are working together to set challenging but realistic targets for reducing crime. Robbery has received close government attention and specific funding following public consultation during the audit processes of the Crime and Disorder Act.

Crime Reduction Strategy: http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/crssummary.htm

Home Office Robbery Briefing: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/hopn.htm

This toolkit is intended to help Partnerships reduce the number of robbery victims. In order to develop and become fully effective however, it will need constant interaction from you, the practitioner. The 'Innovations' page is intended to generate comment and the contribution of good practice; this will ensure that it remains relevant and valuable.