Luxury watches stolen

One guilty verdict and three acquittals for cab drivers

The four defendants are alleged to have committed serious thefts as part of a criminal organization.

(Bild: Anja Richter)

For several years, cab drivers allegedly targeted drunk passengers outside nightclubs in order to steal from them. They are said to have targeted expensive watches in particular. On Thursday, the Vienna Regional Court handed down only one guilty verdict for the partially confessed main defendant (four years) and three acquittals in cases of doubt. The verdicts are not legally binding.

According to the indictment, the taxi drivers, aged between 34 and 57, were mainly after their customers' high-priced wristwatches. They were therefore primarily accused of commercial aggravated theft. Almost 20 cases of theft were brought to court in the jury trial. The main defendant was charged with robbery in two further cases in which the watch was forcibly torn from the wrist or an attempt was made to do so.

Damage of 350,000 euros
A total loss of 350,000 euros was incriminated. Another man was also charged with receiving stolen goods, who is said to have arranged for the resale of a stolen chronometer. In this case, however, no evidence of a connection with the main offender could be established.

Some of the victims could not remember
The main defendant was found guilty of the commercial thefts, attempted robbery, forgery and money laundering - but not of all the facts alleged. Among other things, the accused benefited from the fact that most of the drunken victims did not really remember and, above all, could not clearly identify the perpetrators.

Acquitted in case of doubt
This also benefited the two co-defendants, who were acquitted in case of doubt. Recognition, if any, was not sufficient "with a probability bordering on certainty for a conviction", according to Klestil-Krausam. The man accused of receiving stolen goods had even made "a very good impression". "And what fence gives his real name?"

Planned deeds
The senate of lay judges accepted the previous good conduct and the remorseful confession as mitigating factors. The aggravating factors were the multiple crimes, the commercial nature, the period of the offense over several years and the amount of damage. In addition, everything had been planned from start to finish. Furthermore, the victims had felt safe in the cab and had not expected to be robbed or robbed. Therefore, the four-year sentence would have been imposed unconditionally.

The main defendant asked for three days to think it over, the public prosecutor made no statement. The sentences are therefore not yet final.