STUDY UNIT 1: AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Exam Study Notes
1. INTRODUCTION
Aggravated robbery is an important crime in South Africa because of its violent nature and the fear it
creates.
The study guide focuses particularly on:
1. Robbery at residential premises (house robbery)
2. Carjacking
3. Robbery at non-residential premises (business robbery)
4. Cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery
The first three are known collectively as the trio crimes.
MUST KNOW
Trio crimes =
House robbery + Carjacking + Business/non-residential robbery
CIT robbery is NOT one of the trio crimes.
This is a common MCQ trap.
2. KEY DEFINITIONS
2.1 Robbery
The study guide describes the essence of robbery as:
“theft by violence”
In simple terms, robbery occurs when someone unlawfully and intentionally takes another person's
property using violence or the threat of violence.
Four important elements of robbery
For robbery to occur, there must be:
1. An unlawful and intentional act
2. Theft/taking of property
, 3. Violence or a threat of violence
4. A causal connection between the violence/threat and the taking of the property
MEMORY AID
Remember:
I-T-V-C
I = Intentional/unlawful
T = Taking property
V = Violence/threat
C = Connection between violence and taking
3. WHAT IS AGGRAVATED ROBBERY?
In South Africa, robbery with aggravating circumstances and aggravated robbery mean the same
thing and the study guide uses the terms interchangeably.
Aggravating circumstances in robbery include:
• wielding a firearm or dangerous weapon
• inflicting grievous bodily harm
• threatening to inflict grievous bodily harm
These circumstances can occur before, during or after the robbery.
EXAM DEFINITION
A good answer:
Aggravated robbery is robbery where aggravating circumstances are present, such as the use or
display of a firearm or dangerous weapon, the infliction of grievous bodily harm, or a threat to
inflict grievous bodily harm.
4. CONTACT CRIME
SAPS classifies aggravated robbery as a contact crime.
Contact crime means:
A crime where the victim is directly targeted, or the victim's property is targeted while the victim is
present, and violence is used or threatened.
Examples include:
, • murder
• attempted murder
• sexual offences
• assault
• grievous bodily harm
• common assault
• common robbery
• aggravated robbery
5. TYPES OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Type Simple explanation
House robbery Robbery while occupants are present in a home
Carjacking Forcefully taking a motor vehicle from a person
Business robbery Robbery at a non-residential/business premises
CIT robbery Robbery involving cash being transported under security protection
Bank robbery Robbery involving a bank
Truck hijacking Forcefully taking a truck
The study guide identifies several subcategories but focuses particularly on the three trio crimes and
CIT robbery.
6. TRIO CRIMES
The three trio crimes are:
① Residential robbery
Also called house robbery.
② Carjacking
③ Non-residential robbery
Also called business robbery.
Exam Study Notes
1. INTRODUCTION
Aggravated robbery is an important crime in South Africa because of its violent nature and the fear it
creates.
The study guide focuses particularly on:
1. Robbery at residential premises (house robbery)
2. Carjacking
3. Robbery at non-residential premises (business robbery)
4. Cash-in-transit (CIT) robbery
The first three are known collectively as the trio crimes.
MUST KNOW
Trio crimes =
House robbery + Carjacking + Business/non-residential robbery
CIT robbery is NOT one of the trio crimes.
This is a common MCQ trap.
2. KEY DEFINITIONS
2.1 Robbery
The study guide describes the essence of robbery as:
“theft by violence”
In simple terms, robbery occurs when someone unlawfully and intentionally takes another person's
property using violence or the threat of violence.
Four important elements of robbery
For robbery to occur, there must be:
1. An unlawful and intentional act
2. Theft/taking of property
, 3. Violence or a threat of violence
4. A causal connection between the violence/threat and the taking of the property
MEMORY AID
Remember:
I-T-V-C
I = Intentional/unlawful
T = Taking property
V = Violence/threat
C = Connection between violence and taking
3. WHAT IS AGGRAVATED ROBBERY?
In South Africa, robbery with aggravating circumstances and aggravated robbery mean the same
thing and the study guide uses the terms interchangeably.
Aggravating circumstances in robbery include:
• wielding a firearm or dangerous weapon
• inflicting grievous bodily harm
• threatening to inflict grievous bodily harm
These circumstances can occur before, during or after the robbery.
EXAM DEFINITION
A good answer:
Aggravated robbery is robbery where aggravating circumstances are present, such as the use or
display of a firearm or dangerous weapon, the infliction of grievous bodily harm, or a threat to
inflict grievous bodily harm.
4. CONTACT CRIME
SAPS classifies aggravated robbery as a contact crime.
Contact crime means:
A crime where the victim is directly targeted, or the victim's property is targeted while the victim is
present, and violence is used or threatened.
Examples include:
, • murder
• attempted murder
• sexual offences
• assault
• grievous bodily harm
• common assault
• common robbery
• aggravated robbery
5. TYPES OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY
Type Simple explanation
House robbery Robbery while occupants are present in a home
Carjacking Forcefully taking a motor vehicle from a person
Business robbery Robbery at a non-residential/business premises
CIT robbery Robbery involving cash being transported under security protection
Bank robbery Robbery involving a bank
Truck hijacking Forcefully taking a truck
The study guide identifies several subcategories but focuses particularly on the three trio crimes and
CIT robbery.
6. TRIO CRIMES
The three trio crimes are:
① Residential robbery
Also called house robbery.
② Carjacking
③ Non-residential robbery
Also called business robbery.
