Robbery Investigation

Robbery Investigation

Robbery is defined as forcefully depriving another person’s valuables or properties.  Various laws in different countries prohibit such activity and offenders are persecuted in the court of law. There are various types of robberies that are committed. These include armed robbery, which is associated with weapons, aggravated robbery that involves use of deadly weapons, highway robbery that takes place on the highways in the public places such as on the streets, highways, car parks and sidewalks (Osterburg, & Ward, 2010, p. 417). Once the crime has been committed, it is the duty of the police officers to carryout an investigation to find the people behind such crimes.

According to Osterburg & Ward (2010), investigating a robbery crime is very complex and requires the officers in charge to have undergone high level of training on crime investigation to be able to gather enough evidence that can lead to the apprehension of the suspects (p. 417). The police officers must have knowledge in the investigation of such crimes to ensure that they provide enough evidence. There are difference scenes that vary which require different level of experience and knowledge to be able to gather evidence that can lead to the arrest of the people behind such crimes. Some of the training and skills that the investigation officers are required to have include good communication skills, and be able to respond with urgency to the scenes of crime to ensure that they collect evidence before the scene is interfered by other intruders. They should also have technical skills in forensic to be able to analyze the evidence through means as such DNA. In communication, interviewing skills is mandatory in ensuring that police are able to gather enough evidence to apprehend the offenders (Tanislav, 2001, p. 223). This skill is important in differentiating the suspects from the real criminals. Therefore, they must have enough training on the verbal cues that can help them determine the suspect from the criminals, or to help them arrest the criminals that may have gone into hiding.

Reporting to the crime scene is also important in investigation of robbery related crimes. This helps the officers to get first hand information and collect samples such as finger prints that may help them to find the suspects.   Quick response is also important in finding views from the people who were at the crime scene when the crime occurred.

In aggravated robbery, for instance, where property of an individual is taken and the individual harmed, the criminal investigation begins when the police are informed of such a crime. The police will embark on there investigation by responding quickly to the call. The victims will be used as a source of information that may provide them with information about the robbers. Such information include the time of breaking in, the number of the robbers, the weapons they carried, the valuables they took and any bodily harm that they caused on the victim.  Police will begin to gather scanty information about the incidence to gain more insight. The neighbors or people who might have seen the incidence will also have to record their statements to the police for further evaluations. These statements recorded at this scene are very important for the police to piece together their evidence to help them capture the robbers. Police will also pick samples on the scene such as blood stains incase there was exchange of firearms between the victims and the robbers. This sample will be taken to the laboratory in the forensic department to determine the DNA which can help in nesting the culprits (Raymond et al.  2009, p. 544).  Furthermore, police will have to take some of the sample products that were broken to keep them for evidence in the case the culprits are apprehended.

The investigation may take some time as the police gather information about the crimes. It may even take between one to two years depending on the complexity of the robbery. With introduction of technology, criminal gangs have come up with strategies to ensure that police do not find traces of evidence at the crime scene that may lead to their arrest. Therefore, in such circumstances, such investigation may take considerable long time to find the real culprits.

In the investigation, police may also use the public to help them get the criminals. This may be done by taking the photographs of the suspects. These photos are published in the local newspapers and in the local media to alert the public to notify the police about the whereabouts of such people. This information is usually helpful in enabling the police to nest the culprits. In some occasions, an offer is provided to entice the public to report such cases to the police authority. Once the suspects are caught, they are apprehended in the court of law.  In the robbery investigation, reports about the progress of the investigation are important and are filed with the department of the police for future records.

Therefore, robbery investigation is a very complex process that requires that investigative officers be people who are committed and with experience to be successful.

References

Osterburg, J., & Ward, H.  (2010). Chapter 17 – Robbery, Criminal Investigation (Sixth Edition),   417-427.

Raymond, J. et al.  (2009). Trace DNA and street robbery: A criminalistic approach to DNA         evidence, Forensic Science International: Genetics Supplement Series, 2(1): 544-546
Tanislav, E. (2001).  Simulated robbery, Science & Justice, 41(3): 223-224

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