Mild sentence

A teenager’s theft spree ends in court

The young man got off with a lenient sentence.(Bild: Chantal Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

A teenager broke into a bakery in Feldkirch twice. Now he had to answer for his actions in front of a judge.

The 17-year-old accused seems to have misunderstood the phrase "bake your own bread". After dropping out of his apprenticeship, the teenager tried his luck as a burglar. On December 11 of last year, he broke into a bakery in Feldkirch and plundered the cash register, which was filled with around 1015 euros in change. Two weeks later, he tried his luck there again. Again, everything goes smoothly for the accused. Again he makes 1015 euros in loot, again he manages to escape undetected. Then, however, Commissioner Chance strikes: when he is stopped by the police that same evening, the officers are astonished. Instead of cannabis, they found several rolls of coins on the teenager. Shortly afterwards, the officers hear about the burglary in the nearby bakery over the radio and the 17-year-old's handcuffs click.

Probation officer to lead him on the right path
At the trial on Wednesday, the accused admitted to the crimes. Because the youngster has confessed and has no criminal record, Judge Martin Mitteregger puts the rod in the offender's window and sentences him to a partial fine of 1,200 euros. He suspended half of the fine on probation.

As the money taken during the second burglary was seized from the defendant by the officers, he still has to repay the bakery 1015 euros within two weeks. At the end, the counselor gives the convict some wise advice: "Make sure you get your act together now and do an apprenticeship." A probation officer is now to guide the young man on the right path.