Man Who Stole a €200 Bicycle Gets Nine Months in Prison After Probation Revoked
His guilty plea didn't help because the theft occurred during the probation period of an earlier suspended sentence for the same offense.
His guilty plea didn't help because the theft occurred during the probation period of an earlier suspended sentence for the same offense.
A court in Čakovec, at first instance, sentenced a 29-year-old man from Međimurje to nine months in prison, which is not final, for stealing a bicycle valued at €200. The verdict was handed down on July 22, 2026, and the key factor influencing the severity of the sentence was the fact that he stole the bicycle while on probation for a previous suspended sentence for the same criminal offense, reports eMeđimurje.
According to the details of the verdict, on June 24, 2024, in the evening hours, the 29-year-old took an unlocked bicycle of the brand Kilimanjaro, model MTB Sport 29, in black and red, from the bus station in Čakovec. At the time of the offense, the bicycle had an estimated value of €200.
During the proceedings, the defendant pleaded guilty and explained that he needed the bicycle to go to a relative in Kuršanec. He stated that he planned to return the bicycle the very next day, but the owner found it before that and notified the police. The owner found the bicycle and got it back, so he did not file a property claim with the court.
For the new theft itself, the court sentenced him to six months in prison. However, the 29-year-old already had a conviction for the same offense. In October 2023, by court verdict, he received five months in prison for theft, but that sentence was suspended. That verdict became final on November 24, 2023, with a probation period of one year.
The new theft occurred on June 24, 2024, which was within that period. Therefore, the court revoked the earlier suspended sentence and combined the sentences from both verdicts. After that, he received a single sentence of nine months in prison.
When determining the sentence, the court took into account as mitigating circumstances his guilty plea, as well as the fact that he is the father of a minor child. The court accepted his plea because it was consistent with the evidence, including the police report, the victim's statement, income data, and records.
As aggravating circumstances, the court cited his previous conviction for the same offense and the fact that he committed the new theft during the probation period. The court considered that the suspended sentence was not sufficient to prevent him from reoffending, so it decided to impose an unconditional prison sentence.
The verdict is not final, and an appeal can be filed within 15 days of receiving the written copy.
