The core difference is the use of force or fear against a person. Larceny is taking property without the owner's consent. Robbery is taking that same property directly from a person by using violence, threatening violence, or putting the victim in immediate fear. A shoplifter who walks out of a store with merchandise is facing larceny. That same person becomes a robbery defendant the instant they shove a loss prevention officer on the way out. Rhode Island treats robbery as a violent felony with exposure up to life imprisonment, while most larceny cases top out at 10 years for larceny over $1,500 and are usually resolved with far lighter sentences. The difference between the two charges - often a matter of a few seconds of physical contact - can mean decades of prison time.
