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Traders say the perpetrators of ongoing thefts in Lithuania feel unpunished: when caught, they pay themselves only with fines they don’t pay, and as soon as they release the same day, they allow themselves to search for new prey.
“Salesmen and police alike are aware of the personnel thieves, but so far they have not been able to stop them. If the value of the objects stolen during a robbery is less than 150 euros, these thieves are only applied an administrative fine and when they are released, they go back to their jobs. This is a long-standing problem, due to which traders calculate millions of losses every year, “says Rūta Vainienė, Executive Director of LPĮA.
According to the report, Lithuanian merchants face thefts of up to 150 euros more frequently, even in 4 out of 5 cases the value of the stolen items does not exceed 150 euros. Thieves are well aware of this limit and precisely what they decide to steal to avoid criminal liability.
According to the LPIA, both the number of thefts and the value of stolen property have increased dramatically this year. The value of items stolen in the first 8 months of this year is already higher than last year for the entire year. Comparing the data for the first half of this year, the number of thefts in stores worth up to 150 euros, grew among all retailers. According to R. Vainienė, the growth figures are impressive and have already crossed the double digit limit.
“The greatest scourge is continuous and repetitive robbery. We are successfully cooperating with the police, striving to classify such malicious long-finger crimes as interrelated. This would not only reduce their value, but would also bring the punishment closer to the essence of the crime. After all, we are not talking about a single accidental robbery “by deprivation”, but about the same people full time, possibly organizing their activities, “he says.
Lithuanian police estimate that there are at least a dozen such thieves in Vilnius alone, who are recognized not only by officers but also by some vendors, even those wearing protective masks.
“Obviously, when these thefts have become an illegal business for these people, it is a net loss for the stores that operate legally. Knowing that businesses often have to pay corporate and value-added taxes on the amount of property stolen is a huge loss. “Says R. Vainienė.
The LPIA is concerned about the intention to increase the criminal liability threshold to € 250, a proposal from the Ministry of Justice that has already been endorsed by the entire government.
“We agree that part of the crime should be decriminalized, but first we must make it possible to punish those who abuse it.” Otherwise, they will feel even more free, they will steal more and more expensively ”, says the director of the association.
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