Man fakes robbery to steal €409,000—now faces suspended sentence
Berlin (dpa/bb) – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended, for faking a robbery of €409,000 while working as the driver of an armored cash transport in Berlin's Tempelhof district. The Tiergarten District Court convicted him of embezzlement and simulating a criminal offense. In addition to the suspended sentence, the defendant, who confessed, was ordered to perform 240 hours of community service. The court also ruled that he must forfeit assets equivalent to €409,000 in restitution.
On October 4, 2024, the 25-year-old was on duty with a colleague. When the coworker stepped out to pick up additional cash boxes and security bags from a business, the defendant drove off, according to investigators. He allegedly met with unidentified accomplices in a parking lot shortly afterward and, as prearranged, unlocked the vehicle's door to allow them to seize the cash in transit.
Defendant admits receiving €10,000
The former armored truck driver then called for help, claiming he had been beaten, kicked, and attacked with pepper spray. However, police soon grew suspicious, as testimony in court revealed. Surveillance footage from the parking lot also confirmed that no such assault had taken place. The stolen money remains missing.
The defendant testified that gambling debts had driven him to commit the crime. He claimed that unknown men had pressured him into staging the robbery, saying they were familiar with the cash transport routes and had dictated how the scheme would unfold. "These guys knew the routes and gave the orders," the 25-year-old stated. "They took all the money and disappeared." A month later, he said, he received an envelope containing €10,000, which he used to settle his debts.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of two and a half years in prison, while the defense argued for a suspended term. The ruling is not yet final.
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