The break-ins were well thought out: a safe was rented. In the end, you were left alone in the safe, in the blind spot of the surveillance cameras, the safes were broken into and emptied. Three men are now in court in Korneuburg – but they probably only played minor roles.
A gang of safe burglars is said to have stolen no less than 1.8 million euros in just three attacks – at least that is what the Public Prosecution Service claims.
The criminal kingpin is still at large
The picture that emerges after a short time at the regional court in Korneuburg (Lower Austria) is completely different: the three men in the dock played only a minor role in the well-planned coups. “Our client only interpreted at the bank counter,” says lawyer Philipp Wolm, who defended the third defendant (46) together with Peter Philipp. Her colleagues Rudolf Mayer and Klaus Ainedter about their client (45): “He simply lied.”
Who was the mastermind behind the elaborate break-ins? A fugitive, inaccessible to the Austrian legal system. It was he who recruited the three defendants – with the promise of a lot of money. In the end, he single-handedly broke open the safes in the blind spots of the surveillance cameras.
Acquittal and conviction
And the jury senate sees it that way too. The 45-year-old gets a lenient 30-month prison sentence because he is careful. “Our client’s remorse was not expressed in words, but in deeds,” emphasizes Rudolf Mayer, who says he has already paid back his share of the loot to the second defendant.
The 46-year-old was acquitted. “There was no evidence that our client knew he was breaking in there,” says lawyer Peter Philipp. The trial against the first defendant, defended by Dominik Wild, continues on Monday. He is also said to have run a cannabis plantation.
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.
