High damage

Prison sentences again for Polish bicycle thieves

The defendants pleaded guilty.(Bild: Dorn / Krone KREATIV)

Two Poles were sentenced to additional sentences of six and seven months in prison at Feldkirch Regional Court on Monday.

The 45-year-old first defendant already has six previous convictions, while his 42-year-old accomplice has four. Most of them are relevant. And the two Polish men have something else in common. Both are familiar with life behind Swedish bars. And last Monday, they both stood before the judge again - at Feldkirch Regional Court.

Just last March, the first defendant was sentenced to three years in prison for a number of burglaries - also at Feldkirch Regional Court. The 42-year-old received two and a half years in prison at the time. The reason for the convictions at the time: as members of a criminal Polish gang, they had stolen expensive e-bikes and mountain bikes with a total value of around 154,000 euros in Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg.

"A full story"
Due to a further 54 thefts in which the DNA of the two men could be detected, the two Poles finally received additional sentences from the lay assessor's court in Feldkirch on Monday. The first defendant received six months in prison, the second defendant seven months. In the trial on Monday, both offenders pleaded guilty to the charges brought by public prosecutor Hubert Ganner. In his plea, the representative of the public prosecutor spoke of a "rich story" due to the high amount of damage and the numerous acts of "massive criminal value". The verdicts are not final.