Hungarian police officer sentenced for ransom theft

A Budapest police officer was given a suspended sentenced Monday to 20 months in prison after stealing Ft 460,000 (€1,850) from a crime scene, reports index.hu.

The officer, identified as Zoltán E., admitted to taking the money at the scene of a bank robbery at the Széna tér OTP branch May 4. The money was part of a sum that police planned to give to the bank robber in exchange for his hostages.

The officer who worked for District II Police was fired from his job after a review of the bank's surveillance camera footage caught him in action. He confessed to the charges and pleaded guilty.

The Budapest court's verdict was made with consideration of the officer's financial difficulties, the fact that he has four children and that he returned the stolen amount to OTP Bank.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle