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• In 2008, police reported about 32,000 robberies, accounting for 7% of all violent crime. The robbery rate has been relatively stable in recent years, following an 11% decrease between 1999 and 2002.
• The national decline in the rate of police-reported robberies from 10 years ago was largely the result of decreases in Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba. Not all areas of the country have experienced decreases, however. The rate in Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, has more than doubled over the past decade, although it continues to be well below the national average.
• The highest rates of police-reported robbery are in western Canada, particularly Manitoba, similar to the trend for violent crime in general. Among census metropolitan areas, Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon had the highest rates in 2008.
• The overall drop in robberies since 1999 was driven by a decrease in the number of commercial robberies, which account for about 4 in 10 incidents. In particular, bank robberies fell 38% while robberies of gas stations and convenience stores dropped 32%.
• Robberies occurring in outdoor public places (including those on the street) have remained relatively stable over the past decade at about half of all incidents. Of note, robberies in public transit facilities have doubled since 1999, although they continue to account for a relatively low proportion of all incidents. 
• After increasing 38% between 1999 and 2005, robberies occurring in a residence, often referred to as "home invasions", have remained relatively stable. In 2008, residential robberies accounted for about 1 in 10 incidents.
• The use of weapons to commit robbery has generally decreased over the past decade. In particular, the rate of robbery with a firearm steadily declined until 2002 and has remained stable since at about 14% of all robberies.
• As with most crimes, robberies are usually committed by young males. In 2008, almost 9 in 10 accused persons were male. The highest rates of robbery were among those 15 to 18 years of age.