For most visitors, a relaxing holiday on the island of Krk in Croatia means beautiful coves, delicious food and Mediterranean calm. But sometimes the local crime news also prompts disbelieving head-shaking – and a little smile. A current and extremely bizarre incident at a petrol station in Malinska shows that cheek doesn’t pay off in the end.
Free buffet at the pump?
Two men recently made themselves a little too comfortable at a petrol station near the popular resort of Malinska. They helped themselves from the shelves, happily ate sandwiches and sweets and drank juices – all worth exactly €29 in total. But when it came to paying, the two simply refused.
Their absurd justification to the baffled cashier: with goods worth less than 2,000 kuna (the old Croatian currency), “nobody can touch them anyway”. To top it all off, one of the men threatened to wreck the employee’s car if he called the police.
The unexpectedly harsh verdict
What the two snack thieves had completely misjudged in their self-confidence, however: Croatian justice doesn’t joke about threats. The municipal court in nearby Rijeka did not treat the act as simple petty theft but classified it as aggravated robbery because of the massive intimidation of the petrol station employee.
The consequence of the €29 meal? The judges sentenced one of the two men to a hefty 10 months in prison .
Enjoy your Croatia holiday safely and relaxed
For all ordinary holidaymakers, Malinska of course remains an absolutely peaceful and safe destination. So next time you stop at the petrol station on the way to your holiday home or apartment to stock up for a day at the beach: don’t forget to pay! Otherwise your Croatia holiday could be unexpectedly extended – though not exactly in the accommodation of your choice.
Article source
This article is based on local research and reports by the Croatian news portal Fiuman.hr.
→ To the original article on Fiuman.hr (Croatian)
