Long prison sentences for men after million-dollar theft from a safe in Berlin
The chamber considered it proven that the 42-year-old Muhammet H. had planned the crime. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. According to the court's conviction, he had arranged with the 52-year-old defendant Thomas St. that the safes, which the latter managed for his customers, as well as the vaults of a watch dealer in Berlin-Charlottenburg, should be raided in November 2022.
St. testified extensively in the trial. His motivation was debts that he intended to pay off through this theft. His defense referred to the witness protection program and demanded an acquittal. The court did not agree and sentenced him to three and a half years in prison. St. had indeed provided significant clarification, but his contribution was also disproportionate, said Judge Mattern. "Without him, it wouldn't have happened."
It was St. who gave H. the blueprints for the rooms in Berlin-Charlottenburg, had him disguised as a construction worker to inspect the safes and vaults, and set up a fake security company, whose members were among the later perpetrators. One of them was Kenan S., who was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison.
S. provided him with the transponders and codes for the rooms. Together with other perpetrators, S. gained access to them the next day, while St. ensured that the alarm system was deactivated. The perpetrators were then occupied with breaking into a total of 295 safes for twelve hours, loading the stolen goods into a vehicle, and transporting them in several trips.
When it was noticed in the control center responsible for the alarm system that it was still deactivated and the cameras had been sprayed with paint, the responsible employees in the safe deposit box called S., who could not name the agreed-upon code word. The crime was discovered. S. warned his accomplices and set a fire with the help of pre-prepared tire irons and gasoline to destroy traces.
Additionally, Mahmoud M., who is 26 years old, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison because, according to the court, he provided assistance. This allegedly included the creation of application documents for the supposed security company.
His uncle Bilal M. was, as requested by the defense, acquitted. St. had indeed implicated him, but these statements were not sufficient, said Judge Mattern. The prosecution had demanded a prison sentence of five years for Bilal M.
The court assessed the damage at 17.6 million Euros instead of the 50 million Euros stated by the prosecution. The sum was "very favorable to the defendants," emphasized the judge.
- The theft in Berlin-Charlottenburg involved not just one safe, but multiple ones belonging to a watch dealer, with a total estimated value of millions of Euros.
- Despite being acquitted, Bilal M. still faced a million-dollar fine for his involvement in the false security company setup.
- The fine was a significant penalty for Bilal M.', given that it equated to a million-height in his home country, making it a substantial financial blow.
- The men involved in the watch dealer's theft faced severe consequences, with prison sentences ranging from three and a half years to eight years.
- The long-term impact of this million-dollar theft on the victims, primarily jewelry and watch dealers, will continue to be felt in Berlin's thriving market for luxury timepieces.
