Someone broke into the apartment on the seventh floor through the balcony – a couple from Helsinki woke up in the morning to a strange situation – 2024-02-22 02:06:12

At the time of construction, there had been scaffolding on the wall of the house. Illustration image. Adobe Stock / AOP

A couple who lived on the seventh floor of an apartment building in Helsinki woke up in the morning to a terrible situation: someone had visited their home.

According to the husband of the couple, they had gone to sleep at one in the morning. At that time, everything had been normal.

According to the man who testified in court, the thief had climbed onto the balcony using scaffolding outside the house and then opened the unlocked balcony door.

EUR 1,800 in cash, two handbags, inside which were the woman’s two bank cards, credit card, driver’s license and keys were missing from the apartment.

The host people had apparently slept soundly, because they have no perception whatsoever of what happened.

Roared off the wheel

The woman had to renew all her cards. He also had to renew the lock on the apartment.

The thief managed to use the woman’s bank card at K-Market Arabia that same morning.

The 37-year-old with a criminal record was caught behind the wheel the next day under the influence of narcotics. Items stolen from the woman were found in her possession.

The incident took place in Helsinki in May 2020. A 37-year-old man was charged with theft, minor payment instrument fraud, drunk driving, drug use offense, driving a vehicle without a license and drug offense.

The drug charges concerned not only cannabis but also amphetamine, cocaine and medicinal tablets classified as drugs. He had traces of all these substances in his blood when he was driving.

Reimbursements for payment

The accused admitted to the other charges, but denied having visited the apartment.

The explanation didn’t go through. The district court sentenced him to 70 days in prison.

The convict must compensate the woman 495 euros for renewing the cards and the lock, as well as 100 euros as labor wages. He must compensate the man 1,800 euros for the lost bills.

The convicted person must also compensate the victims’ court costs of 1,283 euros.

Claimed to have found it at the station

The 37-year-old drug addict appealed his sentence to the Court of Appeal. He pointed out, among other things, that he participates in the opioid substitution treatment of the Vantaa and Kerava welfare area. He also claimed to have found the cards stolen from the woman at Kannelmäki station.

Neither explanation was accepted by the Court of Appeal. According to the Court of Appeal, the appellant had only recently started compensation treatment.

On the other hand, there is no external evidence to support the Kannelmäki claim. The counter-narrative of the accused is not credible.

The Court of Appeal did not change the judgment of the district court.