Five years in prison for supermarket robbery
timeline
Two young men were each sentenced to five years in prison by the Salzburg regional court on Monday for allegedly robbing a supermarket in Bischofshofen (Pongau) in November. Both have multiple convictions. Their prey was small.
The two 26-year-olds – a Pongauer and a Bosnian – are said to have threatened the supermarket cashier with a pistol on November 11, 2021. According to the indictment, the loot was not even 600 euros. They faced up to 15 years in prison for this, but the court ultimately pronounced five years in prison. Because a stun gun is considered genuine in court because it looks deceptively similar to a live pistol and some of the victims die in fear of death when it is triggered.
Drug cocktail in robbery planning intus
Both defendants have multiple criminal records, are heavily addicted to drugs and are therefore always in need of money. They came up with the idea of the supermarket robbery on cocaine, heroin substitutes, alcohol and tranquilizers, and they hadn’t slept in two days. They lost part of the nearly 600 euros they stole while trying to escape. A few hours later they were arrested by the police.
On Monday at the trial – without drugs – one of the two said: Every day in the cell he thinks about how “that shit” can happen, now his life is ruined. Both stressed how sorry they were. They would never become supermarket robbers when they were sober.
Assault victim needs treatment
This remorse is of little use to the supermarket cashier who was attacked: he needs psychiatric treatment, but gets 1,000 euros in damages.
The five years of imprisonment are extended by half a year for one of the two men because he had a suspended sentence and the suspended sentence has now been withdrawn. Whether it stays with the judgments remains to be seen. Because the prosecutor and the defense attorneys are considering an appeal – for stricter or milder sentences.