Commercial theft and theft within the framework of a criminal association
- Commercial theft and theft within the framework of a criminal association
- objective elements of the offence
- Distinction from other offences
- Burden of proof and evaluation of evidence
- Practical example
- subjective elements of the offence
- Culpability and mistakes
- Extinction of punishment and diversion
- Sentencing and consequences
- Penalty Range
- Monetary Penalty – Day-fine System
- Imprisonment and (partially) suspended sentence
- Jurisdiction of the courts
- Civil claims in criminal proceedings
- Overview of criminal proceedings
- Rights of the accused
- Practical guidance and behavioural advice
- Your Benefits with Legal Assistance
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Commercial theft and theft within the framework of a criminal association
According to § 130 StGB, a qualified theft exists if a person commits a theft according to § 127 StGB and this occurs either commercially or within the framework of a criminal association. The perpetrator takes away a movable object belonging to another person by breaking foreign custody and establishing new custody, acting intentionally and with the aim of unlawfully enriching himself or a third party. The increased injustice results either from the revenue generation aimed at repetition or from the organized form of commission within a connection of several persons established for a longer period of time. § 130 StGB increases the penalty because these methods of commission show an increased level of planning and criminal energy.
A theft according to § 130 StGB exists if a movable object belonging to another person is intentionally taken away and the perpetrator either acts commercially or commits the theft as a member of a criminal association.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „Anyone who steals commercially or in an organized manner is not punished more severely for the individual theft, but for the plan behind it.“
objective elements of the offence
The objective element of the offense describes what happens externally during the act, i.e. the actual processes regardless of the perpetrator’s internal motives. § 130 StGB initially requires a theft according to § 127 StGB. Therefore, the removal of a movable object belonging to another person is required. Removal means that the perpetrator removes the actual control of the entitled party and establishes new custody himself or through a third party.
In addition, the offense requires a special form of commission. Objectively relevant is, in particular, that the theft is committed within the framework of a criminal association. This exists if the perpetrator acts as a member of a group established for a longer period of time, which is oriented towards the repeated commission of criminal acts, and cooperates with another member.
Also in the case of § 130 StGB, the short-term acquisition of actual control over the object is sufficient if the entitled party thereby loses control over the object. Permanent possession is not required.
Insofar as § 130 StGB also mentions the commercial commission, it should be pointed out that this is an internal intention of the perpetrator. This belongs to the subjective element of the offense and is explained separately there.
§ 130 StGB is based on the basic element of theft and increases the penalty because of the particular danger of organized or systematic commission of the offense.
Qualifying circumstances
A theft according to § 130 StGB exists objectively if the removal is carried out as a member of a criminal association with the participation of another member. Required is a connection of several persons established for a longer period of time, which is directed towards the repeated commission of criminal acts and within whose organizational framework the perpetrator acts.
In addition, § 130 StGB also mentions the commercial commission as a qualification. However, it should be noted that the commercial nature is not an objectively ascertainable circumstance of the execution of the act, but is based on the internal objective of the perpetrator to obtain a continuous source of income through repeated thefts. It therefore represents a subjective element of the offense and is explained in more detail in the section on the subjective element of the offense.
The specific type of removal depends on the respective basic offense or the further qualified form of theft on which § 130 StGB is based. § 130 StGB does not refer to specific types of execution such as burglary or carrying weapons, but to the organizational or repetitive context of the act.
Steps of legal assessment
Perpetrator:
The perpetrator can be any person responsible under criminal law. When committing the offense within the framework of a criminal association, the perpetrator must be a member of this association and act with the participation of another member.
Object of the Offense:
The object of the offense is any movable physical object belonging to another person with asset value. An object is foreign if it does not belong exclusively to the perpetrator. Movable is any object that can actually be taken away.
Act:
The act consists of the removal of the object without or against the will of the entitled party. The qualification results from the commission as a member of a criminal association, not from the type of removal.
Result of the Offense:
The success of the act lies in the fact that the entitled party loses actual control over the object and the perpetrator acquires new custody. Even a short-term taking is sufficient.
Causality:
The loss of control must be attributable to the perpetrator’s act of removal. Without this action, the success would not have occurred.
Objective Attribution:
The success is objectively attributable if exactly the risk is realized that § 130 StGB wants to prevent, namely the unauthorized removal of foreign objects within the framework of organized and repetitive theft structures.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „A joint theft is not sufficient for § 130 StGB. Decisive are the duration of the facility, the structure and the participation of another member. “
Distinction from other offences
The element of the offense of § 130 StGB covers cases in which a theft according to § 127 StGB exists and this is committed either commercially or within the framework of a criminal association. Here, too, a movable object belonging to another person is intentionally taken away, so that the entitled party loses actual control and the perpetrator establishes new custody. However, the increased injustice does not result from the type of removal, but from the organizational context or the repetitive commission of the act.
- § 142 StGB – Robbery: Robbery differs from theft according to § 130 StGB in that violence against a person or dangerous threat is used to enable or maintain the removal. While a removal also exists in the case of § 130 StGB, the attack in the case of robbery is directed directly against the person. If violence is used or threatened, there is no longer theft, but robbery with a significantly higher penalty.
- § 125 StGB – Damage to property: Damage to property covers the intentional impairment of a foreign object, which worsens its condition or usability. The entitled party does not lose the object in the process, it remains in his possession. In the case of theft according to § 130 StGB, on the other hand, the removal of the object itself is in the foreground. If damage and removal are combined, for example if an object is damaged and then stolen, damage to property and theft exist side by side, as different legal interests are violated.
Concurrences:
Genuine Concurrence:
Genuine concurrence exists if, in addition to the theft according to § 130 StGB, further independent offenses are added, such as damage to property, trespassing or dangerous threat. The theft retains its independent content of injustice and is not displaced. If several legal interests are violated, the offenses stand side by side.
Spurious Concurrence:
A displacement due to specialty comes into consideration if another element of the offense already includes the entire content of injustice of the theft. This is particularly the case with further qualified forms of theft, if additional aggravating circumstances such as burglary or particularly serious methods of commission are added. In such cases, the simpler qualification is withdrawn.
Multiple Offenses:
Multiple offenses exist if several thefts are committed independently, for example in the case of removals separated in time or in the case of different objects of the offense. Each removal forms its own act, provided that no natural unit of action exists.
Continued Action:
A unitary act can be assumed if several removals are in close temporal and factual connection and are supported by a unitary plan of action, for example in the case of commercial action or within the framework of a joint concept of action within a criminal association. The act ends as soon as no further removals take place or the perpetrator abandons his intention.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „In the case of questions of concurrence, the concrete core of injustice counts. As soon as a more specific element of the offense completely covers the event, the simpler qualification is withdrawn. “
Burden of proof and evaluation of evidence
Public Prosecutor’s Office:
The public prosecutor’s office must prove that the accused has committed a theft within the meaning of § 127 StGB and that there is also a qualifying circumstance according to § 130 StGB. Decisive is the proof that the entitled party has lost actual control over the object and that the accused himself or through a third party has established new custody. In addition, it must be determined that the theft was committed either within the framework of a criminal association or commercially.
It must be proven, in particular, that
- an act of taking away was actually carried out,
- the object belonged to someone else, i.e., was not exclusively owned by the accused,
- the entitled party has lost actual control over the object,
- the accused has established new custody, even if this was only short-term,
- the removal is causally related to the behavior of the accused,
- a qualifying circumstance of § 130 StGB exists, i.e. either the commission of the act as a member of a criminal association or a commercial objective
In the case of the criminal association, it must be proven that the accused acted as a member of a connection of several persons established for a longer period of time and committed the act with the participation of another member.
In the case of commerciality, it must be shown that the perpetrator acted with the intention of obtaining a continuous source of income through repeated thefts.
The public prosecutor’s office must also present whether the alleged removal and the qualifying circumstance are objectively ascertainable, for example through witness statements, video recordings, communication data, organizational processes, earlier similar acts or other comprehensible circumstances.
Court:
The court examines all evidence in the overall context and assesses whether, according to objective standards, a removal exists and the requirements of § 130 StGB are met. The focus is on the question of whether the entitled party has actually lost the object, whether this loss is attributable to the accused and whether the qualifying connection of the act is proven.
In doing so, the court particularly considers:
- the custody relationships before and after the incident,
- type and course of the alleged removal,
- time and duration of the loss of control,
- witness statements on the course of the act and the participation of the accused,
- objective evidence such as video recordings or communication data,
- circumstances that suggest an organized commission of the act or a repetitive approach,
- whether a reasonable average person would assume that the object was removed from the entitled party and that the act falls within the qualified framework.
The court clearly distinguishes between mere misunderstandings, oversights, temporary transfers of possession, or situations without a real loss of control, which do not constitute a removal that fulfills the elements of the offense.
Accused Person:
The accused person bears no burden of proof. However, they can raise reasonable doubts, particularly regarding
- whether a removal actually took place,
- whether the entitled party has really lost control over the object,
- whether there was consent, authorization or intention to return,
- whether the object was only touched or moved briefly without establishing new custody,
- whether an organized commission of the act or a commercial intention actually exists,
- contradictions or gaps in the presentation of the course of events,
- alternative causes that could explain the loss of the item just as plausibly.
She can also explain that certain actions were misunderstood, accidental or with the consent of the entitled party or that the requirements of § 130 StGB are not met.
Typical Assessment
In practice, the following evidence is particularly important in the case of § 130 StGB:
- Video recordings or photos,
- Witness statements on the course of the removal and the participation of several persons,
- Communication records or references to organizational structures,
- References to repeated similar acts,
- Temporal sequences that suggest a planned approach,
- Circumstances that can prove a long-term cooperation or an intention to generate income.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „Without reliable indications of intent to repeat or association structure, § 130 StGB often does not hold. The presentation of evidence is the linchpin. “
Practical example
- Commercial theft from sales premises: The perpetrator regularly steals high-quality electronic articles from various shops together with changing accompanying persons. The goods are immediately resold in each case in order to generate ongoing income. In each act, the entitled party loses actual control over the object, while the perpetrator establishes new custody. Decisive is not the individual value of the goods, but that the perpetrator aims from the beginning to obtain a continuous source of income through repeated thefts. The removal therefore fulfills a theft according to § 127 StGB, which is to be assessed as a qualified theft according to § 130 StGB due to the commercial objective.
- Theft within the framework of a criminal association: Several persons permanently join together to steal bicycles from residential complexes in a division of labor. One participant scouts out suitable objects, another takes over the removal, a third organizes the removal. In a concrete act, the perpetrator steals a locked bicycle from the inner courtyard of an apartment building and hands it over directly to another member of the group. The owner loses actual control over the object, while new custody is established within the group. Since the act is committed as a member of an association established for a longer period of time and with the participation of another member, there is a qualified theft according to § 130 StGB.
These examples show that § 130 StGB does not refer to special types of execution of the removal, but to the revenue generation aimed at repetition or to the organized commission within a group. Decisive remains the loss of actual control over the object, not the duration of the removal or the later use.
subjective elements of the offence
The subjective element of theft under § 130 StGB requires intent. The perpetrator must know that they are taking away someone else’s movable property by depriving the entitled party of actual control and establishing new possession themselves. They must recognize that the item does not belong to them and that the removal occurs without the consent of the entitled party.
The perpetrator must therefore understand that their behavior, in its entirety, constitutes a targeted removal of someone else’s property and is typically suitable to exclude the entitled party from using and disposing of the item. For intent, it is sufficient that the perpetrator seriously considers the removal possible and accepts it. Intentional purpose is not required; conditional intent is sufficient.
In addition, the intent must also extend to the qualifying characteristic of § 130 StGB. If the perpetrator acts as a member of a criminal organization, they must at least tacitly accept acting within this organized structure and with the participation of another member. In the case of commercial commission, it is necessary that the perpetrator acts with the intention of obtaining a continuous source of income through repeated thefts. This objective represents a subjective element of the offense.
Furthermore, theft also requires an intent to enrich oneself. The perpetrator must at least tacitly accept obtaining an unlawful financial advantage for themselves or a third party, for example, by keeping, using, passing on, or selling the item. This inner objective is typical for property offenses and must also be present in qualified theft.
There is no subjective element if the perpetrator sincerely believes to be entitled to the removal, if they assume consent from the entitled party, or if they assume they have a claim to the item. The same applies if the perpetrator assumes without conditional intent that they are not acting commercially or not acting as a member of a criminal organization.
Select your preferred appointment now:Free initial consultationCulpability and mistakes
A mistake of prohibition only excuses if it was unavoidable. Anyone who engages in conduct that recognizably interferes with the rights of others cannot claim that they did not recognize the illegality. Everyone is obliged to inform themselves about the legal limits of their actions. Mere ignorance or a reckless error does not absolve one of responsibility.
Principle of culpability:
Only those who act culpably are punishable. Intentional offenses require that the perpetrator recognizes the essential events and at least accepts them as a possibility. If this intent is lacking, for example, because the perpetrator mistakenly assumes that their behavior is permitted or is voluntarily supported, at most negligence exists. This is not sufficient for intentional offenses.
Incapacity to be held accountable:
No guilt is attributed to someone who, at the time of the offense, was unable to recognize the injustice of their actions or to act in accordance with this insight due to a severe mental disorder, a pathological mental impairment, or a significant inability to control their actions. In case of corresponding doubts, a psychiatric assessment will be obtained.
An excusable state of necessity may exist if the perpetrator acts in an extreme situation of duress in order to avert an acute danger to their own life or the lives of others. The behavior remains unlawful but can have a mitigating or excusing effect if there was no other way out.
Anyone who mistakenly believes that they are entitled to an act of defense acts without intent if the error was serious and comprehensible. Such an error can reduce or exclude guilt. However, if a breach of duty of care remains, a negligent or mitigating assessment comes into consideration, but not a justification.
Extinction of punishment and diversion
Diversion:
A diversion in the case of theft under § 130 StGB is not fundamentally excluded, but is only considered to a very limited extent. The offense concerns a qualified theft, in which either a commercial commission or action within the framework of a criminal organization exists. This regularly involves an increased injustice, which only allows a diversionary settlement in exceptional cases.
In cases in which the requirements of § 130 StGB are only marginally fulfilled, the perpetrator acts immediately with insight, and the consequences of the crime can be quickly and completely compensated, a diversion can still be considered. With increasing planning, intention to repeat, or organized commission of the offense, the probability of a diversionary settlement decreases significantly.
Diversion may be considered if
- the overall guilt is minor,
- the commercial orientation is only weakly pronounced, or the participation in an association appears only subordinate,
- no serious consequential effects have occurred,
- no pronounced planned or repeated behavior can be determined,
- the facts are clear and manageable,
- and the perpetrator is insightful, cooperative, and willing to make amends.
If a diversion comes into consideration, the court can order monetary payments, community service, supervision instructions or a victim-offender mediation. A diversion leads to no conviction and no criminal record entry.
Exclusion of Diversion:
Diversion is excluded if
- the offense was committed commercially in the narrower sense,
- the theft took place within the framework of a consolidated criminal organization,
- there is a planned or repetitive approach,
- several independent acts of theft were committed,
- a significant financial loss has occurred,
- special aggravating circumstances are added,
- or the overall behavior constitutes a serious violation of another person’s property rights.
Only in the case of clearly the slightest guilt and immediate insight can it be exceptionally examined whether a diversionary approach is permissible. In practice, the diversion in § 130 StGB is significantly more limited than in the basic offense and strictly dependent on the circumstances of the individual case.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „Diversion is not automatic. Planned action, repetition, or noticeable financial damage often preclude a diversionary settlement in practice. “
Sentencing and consequences
The court assesses the penalty based on the extent of the property infringement, the nature, duration, and intensity of the removal, and the extent to which the removal of the item has impaired the economic position or use of the entitled party. Decisive is whether the perpetrator acted purposefully, systematically, or repeatedly and whether the behavior has caused a noticeable impairment of assets. In the case of § 130 StGB, it must also be taken into account whether the offense was committed commercially or within the framework of a criminal organization.
Aggravating Factors Exist in Particular If
- the removals were continued over a longer period,
- systematic or particularly persistent behavior was present,
- significant financial damage has occurred,
- several objects or economically significant items were affected,
- despite clear indications or requests to cease, further removals occurred,
- a special breach of trust was present, such as in cases of theft within the context of a close, working, or dependent relationship,
- or relevant prior convictions exist.
Mitigating Factors Include
- Impeccability,
- a full confession and recognizable insight,
- an immediate cessation of the criminal behavior,
- active reparative efforts or damage settlement,
- special stress or overwhelming situations for the perpetrator,
- or an excessively long duration of proceedings.
The court may conditionally suspend a prison sentence if it does not exceed two years and the perpetrator has a positive social prognosis.
Penalty Range
The simple theft constitutes the basic offense and is punishable by imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to 360 daily rates.
If a theft is committed commercially or as a member of a criminal organization with the participation of another member, the qualified offense exists. In these cases, the penalty is imprisonment of up to three years. The value of the item is not decisive, but rather the revenue generation aimed at repetition or the organized commission of the offense.
If, in this manner of commission, there is also a serious theft or a theft by burglary or with weapons in the basic form, the penalty is increased to imprisonment from six months to five years. Several increases in injustice come together here.
Finally, if there is a particularly serious theft, such as a burglary into a dwelling or a particularly dangerous execution of the offense, in this qualified manner of commission, the law provides for a imprisonment of one to ten years. A fine is no longer provided for in these cases.
The scaling of the penalty range makes it clear that, above all, organized or repetitive thefts in connection with other aggravating circumstances are sanctioned particularly severely.
Monetary Penalty – Day-fine System
Austrian criminal law calculates monetary penalties according to the day-fine system. The number of day-fines depends on the guilt, the amount per day depends on the financial capacity. In this way, the penalty is adapted to the personal circumstances and yet remains noticeable.
- Range: up to 720 daily rates – at least €4, maximum €5,000 per day.
- Practical formula: Approximately 6 months imprisonment corresponds to around 360 day-fines. This conversion serves only as orientation and is not a rigid scheme.
- In case of non-payment: The court can impose a substitute custodial sentence. As a rule, the following applies: 1 day of substitute custodial sentence corresponds to 2 day-fines.
Note:
In the case of theft under § 130 StGB, the fine regularly takes a back seat. Due to the qualified commission, it is only considered in exceptional cases, such as in the case of minor guilt and at the lower end of the penalty range. In the higher qualification levels, only imprisonment is provided for.
Imprisonment and (partially) suspended sentence
§ 37 StGB: If the statutory penalty extends up to five years, the court may impose a fine instead of a short imprisonment of no more than one year. This possibility therefore also exists in the case of theft under § 130 StGB, insofar as the applicable penalty range allows it.
In practice, however, § 37 StGB is applied very cautiously, since § 130 StGB regularly requires an increased injustice through commercial action or organized commission of the offense. An application is only considered if the offense is at the lower end of the qualification, there is no pronounced planning, and the damage was minor or completely compensated. In cases with a statutory minimum imprisonment, an application is excluded.
§ 43 StGB: A prison sentence can be conditionally suspended if it does not exceed two years and the perpetrator has a positive social prognosis. This possibility also exists in the case of § 130 StGB. However, a conditional suspension is granted more cautiously if the offense was committed commercially, planned, repeatedly, or within the framework of a criminal organization. It is realistic above all if the damage has been fully compensated, the perpetrator is insightful, and the offense remains in the lower range of the penalty range.
§ 43a StGB: The partially conditional suspension allows a combination of unconditional and conditionally suspended parts of the sentence and is possible for sentences over six months and up to two years. In the case of § 130 StGB, this form can be particularly important if the sentence appropriate to the guilt lies in this area. In the case of higher qualification levels or cases with minimum imprisonment, it is regularly excluded.
§§ 50 to 52 StGB: The court may issue instructions and order probation assistance. These often concern the compensation for damages, the return of the item, the avoidance of further property offenses, or structuring measures such as behavioral training. The aim is to compensate for the damage caused and to counteract further, in particular systematic, thefts.
Jurisdiction of the courts
Subject-matter Jurisdiction
For theft under § 130 StGB, the Regional Court is generally responsible due to the increased penalty. The area of responsibility of the District Court is exceeded, since § 130 StGB in any case provides for a imprisonment that goes beyond the scope of § 30 StPO.
If it is the basic case of § 130 StGB, the Regional Court decides as a single judge. A District Court is out of the question due to a lack of sufficient subject-matter jurisdiction.
If forms of theft are covered in which the penalty range increases to six months to five years imprisonment, the Regional Court is also responsible. In these cases, the Regional Court generally decides as a single judge, unless the special statutory rules of jurisdiction the Schöffengericht is responsible, for example, if relevant value limits are exceeded or if there is a corresponding intentional orientation.
If there is a particularly qualified case in which a imprisonment of one to ten years is provided for, the Regional Court decides as a Schöffengericht. A single judge is excluded in these cases.
A jury court is not responsible, since § 130 StGB does not provide for a penalty that opens its jurisdiction.
Peter HarlanderHarlander & Partner Rechtsanwälte „The judicial jurisdiction follows exclusively the statutory jurisdiction order. Decisive are penalty threat, place of the offense, and procedural jurisdiction, not the subjective assessment of the parties involved or the actual complexity of the facts. “
Local Jurisdiction
The court at the place of removal is responsible. Decisive is where the entitled party lost actual control over the item and the perpetrator established new custody.
If the place of the offense cannot be clearly determined, the jurisdiction is based on
- the residence of the accused person,
- the place of arrest,
- or the seat of the competent public prosecutor’s office.
The proceedings are conducted where a practical and orderly implementation is best guaranteed.
Hierarchy of Courts
Appeals against judgments of the Regional Court as the court of first instance are permissible depending on the composition of the court. If the judgment was rendered by the Regional Court as a single judge, the Higher Regional Court is responsible.
If the theft under § 130 StGB is heard before the Schöffengericht, appeals and appeals on points of nullity are open to the Supreme Court.
Civil claims in criminal proceedings
In the case of theft under § 130 StGB, the injured party can assert their civil claims directly in the criminal proceedings as a private party. Since this offense also concerns the unauthorized removal of someone else’s movable property, the claims relate in particular to the value of the item, replacement costs, loss of use, lost use advantage, as well as other property law damages caused by the removal.
Depending on the case, consequential damages can also be claimed, for example if the item was required for professional or business purposes and the removal has led to significant economic disadvantages.
The private party connection suspends the statute of limitations for all claims asserted as long as the criminal proceedings are pending. Only after legally binding conclusion does the limitation period continue to run, insofar as the damage has not been fully awarded.
A voluntary compensation, such as the return of the item, the payment of the value, or a serious effort to compensate, can have a mitigating effect, provided that it occurs in a timely and complete manner.
However, if the perpetrator has acted commercially, planned, repeatedly, or within the framework of a criminal organization and this has resulted in significant property damage, a later compensation for damages regularly loses a large part of its mitigating effect. In such constellations, a subsequent compensation only partially compensates for the injustice of the offense.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „Private party claims must be clearly quantified and documented. Without proper damage documentation, the claim for compensation in criminal proceedings often remains incomplete and shifts to civil proceedings. “
Overview of criminal proceedings
Commencement of Investigation
Criminal proceedings require a concrete suspicion, from which a person is considered an accused and can claim all rights of the accused. Since it is an official offense, the police and public prosecutor’s office initiate the proceedings ex officio as soon as a corresponding suspicion exists. A special declaration of the injured party is not required for this.
Police and Public Prosecutor’s Office
The public prosecutor conducts the preliminary investigation and determines the further course of action. The criminal police carry out the necessary investigations, secure evidence, take witness statements, and document the damage. Ultimately, the public prosecutor decides on discontinuation, diversion, or indictment, depending on the degree of culpability, the amount of damage, and the evidence.
Interrogation of the Accused
Before each interrogation, the accused person receives full instruction on their rights, particularly the right to remain silent and the right to legal counsel. If the accused requests legal counsel, the interrogation must be postponed. The formal interrogation of the accused serves to confront them with the accusation and to provide an opportunity for a statement.
Access to files
Access to files can be obtained from the police, public prosecutor, or court. It also includes items of evidence, provided that the purpose of the investigation is not thereby jeopardized. The private claimant’s joinder is governed by the general rules of the Code of Criminal Procedure and allows the injured party to assert claims for damages directly in criminal proceedings.
Main Hearing
The main hearing serves for oral evidence taking, legal assessment, and decision-making on any civil law claims. The court particularly examines the course of events, intent, amount of damage, and the credibility of statements. The proceedings conclude with a conviction, acquittal, or diversionary resolution.
Rights of the accused
- Information & defense: right to notification, legal aid, free choice of defense counsel, translation assistance, and submission of evidence motions.
- Silence & counsel: right to remain silent at any time; if a defense attorney is requested, the interrogation must be postponed.
- Duty to inform: prompt notification of suspicion and rights; exceptions only permitted to safeguard the purpose of the investigation.
- Practical access to files: investigation and trial records; access by third parties is restricted to protect the accused.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „The right steps in the first 48 hours often determine whether a procedure escalates or remains controllable.“
Practical guidance and behavioural advice
- Maintain silence.
A brief statement is sufficient: “I am exercising my right to remain silent and will first speak with my defense counsel.”
This right applies from the very first interrogation by the police or the public prosecutor. - Contact defense counsel immediately.
No statement should be made without access to the investigation files. Only after reviewing the files can the defense assess which strategy and evidence preservation measures are appropriate. - Secure evidence immediately.
You should secure all available documents, messages, photos, videos, and other records as early as possible and keep copies. Digital data must be regularly backed up and protected from subsequent changes. Note down important individuals as potential witnesses and promptly record the sequence of events in a memorandum. - Do not contact the opposing party.
Your own messages, calls, or posts may be used as evidence against you. All communication should take place exclusively through your defense counsel. - Secure video and data recordings in time.
Surveillance videos from public transport, venues, or property management systems are often automatically deleted after only a few days. Requests for data preservation must therefore be submitted immediately to the operators, the police, or the public prosecutor’s office. - Document searches and seizures.
In cases of house searches or seizures, you should request a copy of the warrant or record. Note the date, time, persons involved, and all items taken. - In case of arrest: make no statements about the matter.
Insist on immediate notification of your defense counsel. Pre-trial detention may only be imposed if there is strong suspicion of guilt and an additional ground for detention. Less severe measures (e.g., pledge, reporting duty, contact ban) must take precedence. - Prepare reparation strategically.
Payments, symbolic gestures, apologies, or other compensatory offers should be handled and documented exclusively through the defense. Structured reparation can positively influence diversion and sentencing.
Peter HarlanderHarlander & Partner Rechtsanwälte „Those who act thoughtfully, secure evidence, and seek legal assistance early retain control over the proceedings.“
Your Benefits with Legal Assistance
The theft according to § 130 StGB requires a qualified commission, for example through commerciality or acting within the framework of a criminal organization. The legal assessment depends largely on the specific course of events, the subjective intent, the organizational integration, and the evidence. Even minor deviations can decide on the penalty range and the outcome of the proceedings.
An early legal support ensures that the facts are correctly classified, evidence is assessed in a legally sound manner, and exculpatory circumstances are consistently used.
Our law firm
- examines whether the requirements are actually met or a milder legal assessment is required,
- analyzes the evidence and the alleged commercial or organized commission of the offense,
- develops a clear, legally precise defense strategy with a focus on penalty range, diversion, and suspension.
As a criminal law specialized representation, we ensure that the accusation of qualified theft is carefully examined and the proceedings are conducted on a sustainable factual basis.
Sebastian RiedlmairHarlander & Partner Attorneys „Legal support means clearly separating the actual events from interpretations and developing a robust defense strategy based on them.“