What offense is committed when a 66-year-old man steals a watch valued at $500 from a 64-year-old woman?

In this scenario, the appropriate offense is robbery. Robbery involves taking property from a person by using force or the threat of force. The key element of robbery is the presence of intimidation or violence directed towards the victim. Given that the man stole the watch from the woman, it implies that an unlawful act occurred that could have involved fear or intimidation, making it fit the criteria for robbery.

The value of the watch shows that it was a significant item, and the nature of the offense—taking it directly from someone—highlights the forceful circumstances generally associated with robbery. Since robbery encompasses the act of theft combined with the element of violence or intimidation, it classifies this incident as robbery rather than simple theft, which does not necessarily involve the victim’s presence or intimidation.

This understanding helps clarify the distinction between types of offenses, illustrating that the presence of direct interaction and potential intimidation elevates the crime from theft to robbery.