Legal policy issue

Garbage stolen: Eight Styrians end up in court

Instead of being thrown away, the food ended up at the employees' homes.

(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

It's a trial that has left people shaking their heads: four women and four men stood before the district court in Graz last week for allegedly stealing garbage. They were dismissed by their employer as a result.

The supermarket's house rules apparently stipulate that food that can no longer be used is to be disposed of. However, instead of throwing away the "food and drinks", as stated in the indictment (worth less than 5,000 euros), the employees packed them up and took them home. This not only got the employees, some of whom had been with the company for many years, dismissed, but also brought charges. A detective finally caught the "garbage thieves".

Tolerated practice?
In court, they explained that taking goods that were no longer usable had been a tolerated practice for years. However, seven of the eight defendants finally agreed to diversion on probation. This means that if they do nothing for a year, the matter is history. The eighth has to be tried separately, he didn't confess.

In my opinion, theft can only be committed by someone who steals something of value.

Einer der Anwälte

"Rubbish could still have market value"
Meanwhile, there was a lack of understanding from one of the lawyers: "In my opinion, theft can only be committed by someone who steals something of value."

AK labor law expert Lorenz Kavallar explains: "It may objectively be garbage, but it could still have a market value." And it had apparently been communicated that it is not permitted to take goods. A termination could therefore be justified. In terms of legal policy, however, the whole thing could be reconsidered in times of a throwaway society...