Rijeka tyre fitters punctured tyres on expensive cars to generate more work

(Patria) - Rijeka police caught tyre fitters who punctured tyres on cars so they could later repair them and earn money.

After a months-long and extensive investigation by police officers of the General Crime Service of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Police Administration, in cooperation with officers of the 1st and 2nd Police Stations in Rijeka, three Croatian citizens were uncovered who are suspected of committing criminal acts of damaging another's property and incitement.

These are, the police announced, individuals aged 25, 28 and 35, for whom it was established that during the past year in Rijeka, from March to the end of September, in agreement to obtain unlawful material gain, they punctured tyres on cars of higher material value.

In doing so, they caused total damage of at least 11,800 euros to 46 Croatian and foreign citizens.

The suspects, a 35-year-old and a 28-year-old, additionally incited the 25-year-old to commit the aforementioned acts for a monetary fee, which he received after they replaced and repaired the damaged tyres on the vehicles, the police announced.

Namely, as craftsmen in tyre repair work, they came up with the idea that after committing the (mis)deeds, they would drive around the crime scenes in a specialised and equipped vehicle for tyre repair work and thus directly provide quick repair services to the damaged vehicle owners.

The police emphasise that the suspected trio charged for this service at a higher amount than the usual price, thereby gaining around 2,600 euros.

As part of the investigation, based on a warrant from the County Court in Rijeka, searches were conducted of the home and premises, as well as the vehicles used by the 35-year-old and the 28-year-old, in the wider area of Rijeka.

On that occasion, several items related to the commission of the described type of criminal acts were found and seized, the police announced.

Due to reasonable suspicion of committing the aforementioned criminal acts of damaging another's property, upon completion of the investigation, all three suspects were criminally reported, and the 35-year-old and the 28-year-old also for the criminal act of incitement.

The two of them, along with the criminal report to the competent state attorney's office, were handed over to the detention supervisor, the police statement concludes.