Zagreb couple forced mentally ill man to commit thefts across Croatia
Police have reported a woman and man who, it is suspected, abused the mental health of a 43-year-old man for over a year and forced him to steal in shops and take out loans.
Zagreb couple forced mentally ill man to commit thefts across Croatia
The Zagreb Police Directorate (PUZ) has reported a 35-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man on suspicion of abusing the vulnerability of a 43-year-old man with behavioural disorders for more than a year and forcing him to commit criminal acts throughout the country.
According to investigators, the two suspects allegedly built a relationship of dominance over the victim from June 2025 to the beginning of June 2026. The man, due to mental health problems, was unable to make decisions independently. The couple housed him in one of the premises in a building in the Dubrava area under conditions without basic hygiene, denying him food and medicines that he needed to take regularly.
To completely subjugate him, they allegedly subjected him to threats and physical violence. The victim, out of fear for his own life, was forced to do everything they ordered him to do.
The two suspects allegedly organised thefts in retail outlets in Zagreb, Karlovac, Poreč, Pula and Bjelovar. The method of operation was such that the couple would place goods in a trolley, and the victim would push it. They would then flee by car without paying.
In addition, on three occasions during spring 2026, they forced the victim to request cash loans from a bank. When the institution approved the funds, the suspects retained the cash and debit card for themselves.
The entire case came to light last Friday when the 43-year-old attempted to steal items in a shop in Bjelovar. A security guard caught and detained him until police arrived. According to a statement, the victim appeared to be acting out of fear because the suspects had seriously threatened him.
Following the criminal investigation, the two suspects were handed over to the custody supervisor. The case has been forwarded to the state prosecution. The victim has been placed under protection in accordance with the protocol for assisting victims of human trafficking.
Source: Index.hr
Source: Index.hr