Unarmed Robbery Defense Attorney
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Theft crimes or a robbery conviction will destroy your reputation.
We represent clients faced with a variety of criminal charges, including:
- Felony Retail Fraud
- Embezzlement
- White Collar Crimes
- Misdemeanor Theft
- Armed Robbery
- Unarmed Robbery
- Shoplifting
- Retail Fraud 1st – 3rd Degree
- Running a Criminal Enterprise
Robbery cases can result in a felony conviction in West Michigan. If you have been accused of stealing or robbing someone, hire a lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a powerful defense.
These charges pack powerful penalties for convictions and guilty pleas.
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Criminal Penalties for Michigan Unarmed Robbery of Theft Charge
According to the Michigan Penal Code (750.530), anyone who uses violence or fear to obtain money or property without consent is guilty of a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. An attempted robbery conviction carries tough criminal punishments and you should still hire me to represent you in your case.
Armed robbery charges in Michigan could land you in jail for life. Contact a Grand Rapids, Michigan robbery lawyer no matter what the details of your theft case are. I can help you achieve a great result, and I will fight for you in every West Michigan court.
"Great Lawyers who get good results. Do not hire another lawyer without calling this law firm first. Trust me, I've dealt with several other lawyers and they charged me 10k and got me nothing. When I talked to Shawn he put me at ease and kept me informed every step of the way. He guided me through the process every single step. I will use him and this office again if I am ever facing another criminal charge." Jessie W read more testimonials
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What the Prosecutor Has to Prove
MCL 750.530(1) sets out unarmed robbery in a single sentence: a person who, in the course of committing a larceny of any money or other property that may be the subject of larceny, uses force or violence against any person who is present, or who assaults or puts the person in fear, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years.
Break that into its parts and you can see where these cases are fought:
- A larceny — a taking of property with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of it.
- A person present — robbery is a crime against a person, not just against property. An empty house is a breaking and entering, not a robbery.
- Force, violence, assault, or fear — this is the element that separates robbery from larceny, and it is the element most often overcharged.
The Timing Rule That Catches People
MCL 750.530(2) says "in the course of committing a larceny" includes acts that occur in an attempt to commit the larceny, during it, in flight or attempted flight after it, or in an attempt to retain possession of the property.
This is why a large share of the unarmed robbery cases I see did not start as robberies at all. Someone conceals merchandise, gets stopped near the door, panics, and pulls their arm free. That single motion — force used in flight — is the State's theory for turning a shoplifting into a felony carrying fifteen years. Whether what happened was really "force" or just a reflexive attempt to get away is exactly the sort of thing worth taking to trial.
Unarmed Robbery vs. Everything Near It
| Charge | Statute | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Larceny, $1,000–$20,000 | MCL 750.356(3)(a) | 5 years |
| Unarmed robbery | MCL 750.530 | 15 years |
| Armed robbery | MCL 750.529 | Life or any term of years |
| Carjacking | MCL 750.529a | Life or any term of years |
The step from unarmed to armed robbery does not require an actual weapon. Under MCL 750.529(1), possessing an article fashioned to look like a weapon, or simply saying you have one, is enough. Keeping a case on the unarmed side of that line is often worth more than anything else that happens in it.
How I Defend These Cases
- There was no force. If the property was taken without force, violence, assault, or fear, this is a larceny, not a robbery — a completely different sentencing world.
- Identification. Robberies are fast, frightening, and often between strangers. Show-up identifications done in the back of a squad car within the hour are suggestive and can be challenged.
- Claim of right. Retrieving property you genuinely believe is yours defeats the larceny element, and without a larceny there is no robbery.
- Intoxication and intent. Larceny requires a specific intent to permanently deprive. Evidence going to intent matters.
- The escalation. Where a retail fraud was reclassified as a robbery, the video usually shows something far less dramatic than the report describes.
- Statements. Interviews conducted without a proper Miranda warning, or after a request for a lawyer, are suppressible.
Where Your Case Will Be Heard
Unarmed robbery is a felony, so it starts in district court — the 61st in Grand Rapids, the 62A in Wyoming, the 62B in Kentwood, the 63rd for the rest of Kent County — with an arraignment, a probable cause conference, and a preliminary examination, then moves to circuit court on bindover. In Kent County that is the 17th Circuit; in Ottawa County the 20th; in Allegan County the 48th.
Related reading: armed robbery, carjacking, retail fraud, and how Michigan distinguishes burglary, robbery, and larceny.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is unarmed robbery in Michigan?
Under MCL 750.530(1), unarmed robbery is committing a larceny of money or property while using force or violence against a person who is present, or assaulting that person, or putting them in fear. It is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. No weapon is involved — if a weapon or a claim of one enters the picture, the charge becomes armed robbery under MCL 750.529 and the maximum becomes life.
Can a shoplifting turn into an unarmed robbery?
Yes, and it happens constantly. MCL 750.530(2) defines "in the course of committing a larceny" to include force used in flight after the theft or in an attempt to retain the property. Pulling away from a loss prevention officer, or pushing past someone at the exit, can convert a misdemeanor retail fraud into a 15-year felony. That escalation is one of the first things I attack.
How much force is required for unarmed robbery?
Less than most people expect. The statute is satisfied by force or violence, by an assault, or simply by putting the person in fear. A snatched purse where the victim feels a tug can qualify. Whether what happened actually meets the standard — as opposed to being an ordinary larceny with no meaningful force — is a genuine question for a jury.
Is unarmed robbery a probationable offense?
It is a 15-year felony scored under Michigan's sentencing guidelines, and prison is a realistic outcome, but probation is possible depending on the guideline range, your prior record, and the facts. The realistic goal in many of these cases is reducing the charge — to larceny from a person, or to a plain larceny — because that changes the guidelines far more than any argument at sentencing will.
Talk to Me Before You Talk to the Police
I am Shawn Haff, and I defend theft and property crime cases across Kent, Ottawa, Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Van Buren counties. The call is free, I answer my own phone, and in a property case the earlier I am involved the more room there is to work. Call 616-438-6719 or send me a message.