9 families in Vorarlberg, Austria, faced a chaotic situation after returning from vacation, after their homes were robbed by a 46-year-old Albanian man, previously convicted of similar offenses.
Austrian media reports that on Wednesday, the 46-year-old appeared in court to face charges over a series of burglaries committed in July and August last year. According to the investigation, the Albanian had created a "trail of destruction" in Vorarlberg, breaking into homes. The value of the stolen items and money is estimated at at least 14,000 euros.
But the total damage is much greater. In addition to the money and stolen items, families have suffered significant material damage from broken doors and damaged windows. Investigators have also noted the psychological damage to the victims, who upon returning found their homes ransacked and their personal belongings touched by unknown persons.
In some of the cases, it is suspected that the 46-year-old also had an accomplice. However, according to the report, only the defendant claims to know his identity. The name he gave turned out to be a fake.
DNA traces found at the scene clearly led to the 46-year-old Albanian. A European arrest warrant had been issued for him and he had been in custody in Feldkirch prison since March of this year.
The defendant, who has previous convictions for theft and robbery, has previously been convicted in Sweden and Denmark, where he served prison sentences.
He appeared in the courtroom handcuffed. Asked by the presiding judge how he imagined his life in the future, the 46-year-old expressed remorse.
'Of course I want to change, after all I have two children,' he declared.
Families will not receive their money.
However, his remorse was not accompanied by a full acceptance of the damage caused. The total damage, including the amounts already reimbursed by insurance companies, is close to 40 thousand euros.
Prosecutor Konstanze Erath stated that it does not matter how much of the damage the defendant accepts.
According to her, he will not be able to recover a single cent of the damage amount.
For the 9 affected families, this means that even his sentence will not bring back the money they lost. The 46-year-old has problems with gambling and about 12 thousand euros in credit debts.
In the end, the court sentenced him to 6 years in prison. The decision is not yet final.
Meanwhile, the 46-year-old faces another procedure. Switzerland has requested his extradition, as authorities there have also opened a case against him. /LAPSI.al
