Assault rifle theft: Carinthian must answer in court!

Assault rifle theft: Carinthian must answer in court!

In June 2024, a spectacular theft occurred in Althofen in which two assault rifles from the Austrian Armed Forces were stolen. A 35-year-old defendant, who will appear before the Klagenfurt Regional Court on March 19, 2025, was accused of breaking the side window of an army truck and then stealing weapons and other military equipment from the driver's cab. This reported, among other things Small newspaper.

The public prosecutor, represented by Denise Walk-Ebner, charged the man with serious theft, damage to property and other offenses. While the defendant claimed to have only stolen one assault rifle, the prosecutor and judge were convinced that he stole both rifles. The public prosecutor's office particularly mentioned that the man was active in the drug community at the time of the theft and may have had a buyer for the second rifle. Despite his drug addiction and unemployment, Judge Manfred Herrnhofer did not accept this as an excuse. He sentenced the defendant to five months of conditional imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 euros, with continued drug treatment being a prerequisite for the conditional release from prison. According to the judge, further investigations into the stolen assault rifle are necessary 5min reported.

The circumstances of the theft are alarming as not only weapons but also other military equipment such as radios and training ammunition were stolen. The police ensured that the man was caught through intensive investigations, reducing the danger in the area. The trial before the regional court is eagerly awaited as the presumption of innocence applies and the defendant still has three days to possibly lodge an appeal.