Luxury Brands, Fine Art, Cash Businesses: Too Tempting For the Criminal Mind

Tempted by Luxury Stores in the Principality a Would Be Soccer Player Turns to Crime 

A young South American in his 20s decided to target Monaco. He had already been on a spree of misdeeds in France – seeking among his targets luxury outlets. His case file at his young age already listed 10 brushes with the law. Arriving by train to the Principality he rapidly identified luxury shops in Monte Carlo as an ideal target where he quickly purloined a luxurious purse worth over 6000 euros. At the same time he used a stolen credit card to make a small purchase – possibly as a distraction to cover the main theft. The police alerted to the theft managed to track him down and arrest him after they had spotted him back near the station. Having failed to make it as a soccer player in France and working instead as a waiter the young man turned to crime – claiming his earnings were insufficient to live. Covid-19 was also limiting professional opportunities in soccer as well as other areas. The sole argument in his defence was that he was not a professional thief but a casual robber who still sought a chance to make it as a footballer. The Court took a strict stance and sentenced him to four months in jail. 

Over a Million Euros to Gain from Art Forgeries

Over 1.25 million euros to gain if a retired Italian could sell four famous paintings – including those certified as authentic- in one of the Principality’s auctions. It was too tempting. Yet the paintings were fakes, cleverly disguised including forged certificates of authenticity. Convicted to a year in prison, with 8 months suspended, the case was returned to the courts for an unsuccessful appeal. The Court still remained unconvinced by the defence’s claim that the seller was himself attempting to verify the authenticity of the paintings, two of which he said he had inherited with the certificates of authenticity intact. More credible was that the honey-pot of over a million euros motivated the ruse. Especially as the criminal’s file showed prior mid-deeds of a similar nature. The convict, however, would at least not have to spend more time in jail. He had already served the four months firm in detention. But another infraction in the next five- years would cost him dear. 

For Years an Employee Helped Himself to over 40.000 Euros From the Till 

Working for over 15 years in a family food outlet in a shopping centre an employee spotted an opportunity to enrich himself. Perhaps he noticed enterprises trying to reduce their sales figures to keep their rents down. In any event, the technique was to cancel sales registered in the till and then pocket the cash. For years he made a few hundred euros each week of ill-gotten gains until he got too greedy. His employer then installed a camera above the till to figure out the deception. Over 40.000 in all stolen. The result: a six-month suspended jail sentence, fired from his job and having to repay 43.000 euros.