Shock, shame, anger – the world of pensioner Slavica K. collapsed when she ‘laughed’ out of the media as a criminal on Sunday. The woman from Villach was mistakenly put on a wanted list by the police. The “Krone” met the exhausted 70-year-old.
‘Mom, did you do something? Did you steal a bag?” – Slavica had no idea what her daughter was talking about when her child approached her in the bedroom on Sunday afternoon. “Then she showed me a photo on her mobile phone of me,” said the 70 year-old in an interview with the “Krone”.
“I was shocked! I really was, but I am absolutely not a criminal!” The background: Three days ago, the police published a search warrant. In July, a woman’s handbag was stolen in a supermarket in Villach. The credit card of the victim, which was also stolen, was used for shopping – and cash was withdrawn from a bank.
Surveillance images from the financial institution should show the suspected perpetrator. Seen in the photos: Slavica K. – who, as so often happens on Saturday mornings, walks into her bank and uses the ATM. With your card, completely legal. “I don’t understand why the police think I stole a handbag before.”
Bank submitted false surveillance footage
As the police now admit, the search was based on an “error”. The financial institution involved sent investigators a false surveillance image. The innocent pensioner cannot understand how something like this could happen. “As we were told, the illegal repair was at 11:36 am. “But my mother used her card at 11:48 a.m.,” says daughter Dejana.
And there’s another fact that makes no sense at all to the 70-year-old and her children: “The real perpetrator used the stolen credit card – and our mother withdrew money with her debit card! Just from the different card numbers you should have been able to tell that it couldn’t be her.’
Although the bank remained silent, the executive branch has at least publicly expressed its regret. “But no one has apologized to me personally.” Who is ultimately responsible for the fatal mistake: Slavica K. has already hired a lawyer.
“This is terrible for me. People look at me like I’m a criminal. I have lived in Villach since I was 21 and have never been guilty of anything,” the Serbian resident said in a sad voice. Her husband also made the news about forty years ago.
But in a positive sense: he had found a plastic bag in the built-up area of Villach containing a total of around 40,000 schillings, which had been lost by an accountant – and, as an honest finder, immediately handed it over to the police. “My husband was portrayed in the newspaper as a hero, and now I was portrayed as a criminal. This just makes me sad…”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
