Every crime in California is defined by a specific code section. Our attorneys explain the law, penalties and best defense strategies for every major crime in California.
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Every crime in California is defined by a specific code section. Our attorneys explain the law, penalties and best defense strategies for every major crime in California.
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In California, police code 211 is for a robbery or armed robbery, which is covered by California Penal Code section 211. There are also police codes for robbery alarms. Code 211A is for when a normal robbery alarm has been reported. Code 211S is for a silent robbery alarm.
The crime of robbery in California involves the following elements:
Robbery is different from petty theft or grand theft offenses in 2 ways:
This makes robbery a more violent, and therefore a more severe offense. While these other offenses may be misdemeanors, robbery is generally a felony offense.
Additionally, robbery is based on the victim impacted, not the property taken. You can face multiple counts of robbery if you use force against multiple people, even if you only take one person’s property.[2]
A police code is a shortened description of a potential criminal offense or other communication. Police officers and police dispatch departments use these codes to inform other officers about what is going on in the field. Police use codes over the radio for several reasons:
3-digit police codes are pronounced digit-by-digit. For example, police code 211 would be stated as “two-one-one.” Letters are stated using radio alphabet. For example, the police code for a robbery alarm, 211A, would be pronounced “two-one-one-Alpha.”
In California, codes for suspected crimes generally refer to the section of the California Penal Code that outlines the offense. For example, police code 415 refers to the offense of disturbing the peace, which is covered by Penal Code section 415. In California, other codes are:
Because of this, the police codes in other jurisdictions may be different.
Not all police radio codes refer to criminal offenses. For example, certain single-digit codes refer to how the officer should respond:
Other codes refer to emergency situations or important details:
Law enforcement officers also use “ten-codes” for especially common messages. These begin with the number 10, then a number for the routine message. Some examples include:
Each police department uses its own codes, though. As a result, these police scanner codes can vary from town to town.
Robbery is a felony in California. However, the precise penalties for a conviction will depend on whether the offense was a first- or a second-degree robbery. Additionally, there are several sentencing enhancements for robbery convictions in California.
A robbery is a first-degree robbery if any of the following factors are present:
The penalties for a first-degree robbery are typically:
However, the prison sentence increases to 3, 6, or 9 years in prison if:
Any robbery that is not a first-degree offense is a second-degree robbery.[6]
Convictions for second-degree robbery carry the following penalties:
Robbery convictions are further subjected to 3 important sentencing enhancements:
For these reasons, having the legal advice of a skilled criminal defense attorney is essential.
Several legal defenses can be raised against a criminal charge of robbery. Which one is best for you will depend on the particular circumstances of your case.
One defense is that you honestly believed that the property rightfully belonged to you. This is the “claim of right” defense. It applies even if your honest belief was incorrect or unreasonable. However, it does not apply to cases where the property you robbed was to settle a debt.[10]
We have found that a common legal defense to raise against a robbery allegation is that you are the victim of mistaken identity. Showing that there are reasons to doubt how the victim identified you after the incident can undermine the case against you.
The person accusing you of robbery may be doing it for ulterior reasons. For example, they may be:
In either of these cases, the accusation against you would be false. The person making it would know that the allegation is false. Proving that this is the case can be difficult. However, proving that your accuser is acting dishonestly can help clear your name.
Legal References:
[1] California Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) No. 1600.
[2] People v. Ramos, 30 Cal.3d 553 (1982).
[3] California Penal Code 212.5 PC.
[4] California Penal Code 213 PC.
[5] Same.
[6] California Penal Code 212.5 PC.
[7] California Penal Code 213 PC.
[8] California Penal Code 12022.7 PC.
[9] California Penal Code 12022.53 PC.
[10] See CALCRIM No. 1600.
A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.