A 46-year-old Albanian man has been sentenced to six years in prison by Austrian justice after being found guilty of a series of burglaries in apartments in Vorarlberg.
The thefts occurred during the period July-August last year, when the 46-year-old is suspected of having forced his way into nine different apartments. The value of the stolen items and money amounts to at least 14 thousand euros, while the total damage, including material damage to the apartments, is close to 40 thousand euros.
According to Austrian media, this is a person previously convicted of similar criminal offenses. He had also served prison sentences in Sweden and Denmark, and this time, DNA traces found at the scene led investigators to him.
The 46-year-old was wanted on a European arrest warrant and has been in custody in Feldkirch prison since March of this year. He appeared in court in handcuffs and faced charges of nine burglaries.
During the hearing, the defendant expressed remorse and said he wanted to change his life. Asked by the presiding judge how he envisioned the future, he also mentioned his two children.
"Of course I want to change, after all I have two children," the 46-year-old is reported to have said.
However, despite statements of remorse, he has not accepted most of the financial damage caused.
According to the indictment, the damage is not only related to the money and items taken, but also to broken doors, damaged windows, and other material damage to the apartments where he forced entry.
For the nine affected families, the damage is not only financial. The homeowners have also faced the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the fact that strangers have entered their private spaces and searched their personal belongings.
A possible accomplice was also mentioned during the trial. The defendant claimed that he did not act alone, but the name he gave turned out to be a fake. For this reason, authorities have not been able to identify another person who may have participated in the theft. The investigation continues.
