Serial Thief Sentenced to Two Years in St. Pölten Court

A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to 24 months in prison at the St. Pölten Regional Court following a series of criminal offenses committed between 2022 and 2025. The defendant has a substantial criminal record in both Austria and Hungary, having been convicted eleven times for similar offenses and having served multiple prison sentences.

During the proceedings, the defendant admitted guilt in only one case, specifically the theft of a perfume at Vienna's main train station. For other charges, he provided various defenses. In relation to a burglary in Parndorf, he claimed that the items found in his possession--including stolen jackets, a device for removing anti-theft tags, and a mobile phone--were merely 'found' items, asserting that he was on his way to the police to turn them in when he was arrested. He also stated that he resisted arrest due to what he described as excessive force used by the police.

In another incident at the Shopping City Süd in Wiener Neudorf, he faced allegations of stealing a car key from a staff area to subsequently steal a vehicle from the underground garage. He denied these accusations. Regarding a suspected break-in at a private residence in Hietzing, Vienna, in January 2025, he initially claimed he was not in the city at the time. However, this assertion was undermined by a photograph taken by the homeowner, which clearly identified him at the scene.

While incarcerated at the St. Pölten Justice Center, he allegedly assaulted a prison officer after threatening to damage his cell if he was not granted a meeting with the prison director. He contended that he was a victim of police brutality, but internal investigations into these claims were closed due to a lack of evidence supporting his allegations of mistreatment. The presiding judge noted that there were no medically verifiable injuries to substantiate the claims made by the defendant.

Ultimately, the court found the individual guilty of attempted resistance to state authority, coercion, attempted theft, and professional burglary. The sentence of 24 months in prison was handed down, although the ruling is not yet final.