Croissant costing €0.76 triggers police proceedings and €150 fine
Ptuj police have already dealt with 90 shop thefts this year. Even theft of food under one euro results in a fine of 150 euros.
Shop thefts in Podravje: police take action even in lowest-value cases
Svet24.si reports that Ptuj police dealt with two shop thefts over the past weekend – this is already the 90th such case this year. The list of stolen goods includes a wide variety of items: pâtés, croissants, alcohol and other food products.
One recent case in the area of the Maribor Police Directorate, which also covers police stations in Lower Podravje, was particularly illustrative: the suspect removed a croissant valued at €0.76 from a shop.
Fines under the law
The law determines the fine amount based on the value of stolen goods. For theft of up to and including 100 euros, a fine of 150 euros is prescribed – meaning that theft of a croissant worth less than one euro is grounds for police proceedings and fines that exceed the value of the stolen item by 197 times.
If the value of stolen goods exceeds 100 euros, the fine increases:
- to 300, 450, 600 or 750 euros, depending on the amount of damage
- between 750 and 1,500 euros, if the perpetrator was validly convicted of the same offence in the past year
Criminal offence at higher values
When the value of stolen goods exceeds 500 euros, it is no longer a minor offence but a criminal offence of theft. This carries a prison sentence of up to three years.
Police statistics show that shop thefts are a frequent occurrence in the region, regardless of the value of the stolen goods. Under the law, police are obliged to take action in every reported theft, even when it concerns food worth only a few cents.
Source: Google News SI — Crime (sl)