Question juridique clé
Whether the handbag snatching was robbery or merely theft under Art. 140 vs. Art. 139 StGB
Solution extraite
The conduct constituted robbery because the defendant used physical force to break the victim's resistance and compel her to tolerate the taking.
Motifs extraits
The relevant force is immediate physical impact sufficient to overcome concrete resistance. Here, the victim tried to keep hold of the bag, fell, was dragged, and sustained injuries; the defendant continued pulling until she had to release it. Surprise did not exclude violence once he persisted against actual resistance.