If I was playing with my brother’s golf clubs and someone took them from me by force, was I not robbed? I don’t think robbery is defined by the ownership of what was taken, but rather by the act of taking something under the lawful control of a person without their permission. If I go shopping and put something in my cart, I’m in lawful possession of that item even if it is technically still owned by the store.
Exactly. From a criminal defense site—http://dictionary.legalhelpmate.com/terms/robbery:
1
Robbery is the unlawful taking or obtaining of personal property from the person or in the presence of another, against (his)(her) will, by means of actual or threatened force, or violence, or fear of injury, whether immediately or in the future, to (his)(her) person or property, or property in (his)(her) custody or possession, or the person or roperty (sic) of a relative or member of (his)(her) family or of anyone in (his)(her) company at the time of the taking or obtaining. (18 U.S.C. S 1951-1)