Image: Erwin Scheriau (APA/Erwin Scheriau)
Among other things, he and two accomplices are said to have stolen the daily receipts from a gas station from a safe. He is also accused of disciplinary misconduct.
The policeman is said to have repeatedly borrowed money from private individuals over the years, but never paid it back. The motive may have been financial difficulties. According to the surveys, the damage is said to be in the range of several tens of thousands of euros. As early as December, the officer had been temporarily suspended from duty by the responsible service authority of the Styrian State Police Headquarters because of the first suspicions. The federal disciplinary authority has now also confirmed the suspension.
The criminal investigations were also initiated early. Since the suspicion has now been confirmed, the public prosecutor’s office in Graz ordered the man’s arrest. So far, the officer has only partially confessed to the interrogations and was taken to the Graz-Jakomini prison after his interrogation. Pre-trial detention is said to have been imposed on Saturday.
Among the misconduct under official law, the improper safekeeping of equipment should be listed, among other things. In addition, his behavior shook the general public’s trust in the police, said Markus Lamb from the press office of the Styrian executive. The suspect’s main source of income is said to have been borrowed money, whereby he had already expended a certain amount of “criminal energy”. The public prosecutor’s office is investigating serious commercial fraud. From informed circles it was said that there is also another suspicion in the room: the police officer could have issued fines without a receipt and then taken the money.
Source: Nachrichten
