Fake police officers sentenced for taking 14,000 euros in property

Two men who posed as criminal police officers and obtained property worth about 14,000 euros have each been sentenced to two years of restricted liberty, LRT reported, citing the Kaunas District Court.

The men, identified as E. K. and M. L., were convicted of fraud, impersonating a public official and illegally acquiring a payment card. Their sentences do not include intensive supervision.

They must each complete 80 hours of unpaid work within 12 months at a healthcare or social services institution, or a non-governmental organisation that supports people in need. They must also pay the victim 3,000 euros in non-pecuniary damages within six months and continue working or register with the Employment Service.

Court records show that in June 2024, the men falsely claimed to be criminal police officers and threatened a woman with arrest, telling her that a search of her home was necessary. Through deception, they obtained property belonging to her worth 206 euros and property belonging to another person worth 13,800 euros. The items included clothing, a high-value python-skin jacket, a bank card and other belongings.

The men partly admitted their guilt. The court said their account of events contradicted the evidence and appeared intended to avoid criminal liability. It also noted that both had previous convictions and had continued to commit crimes.

The verdict can be appealed to the Kaunas Regional Court within 20 days.