Man receives suspended sentence for stealing €70,000 from rectory

A 24-year-old man from Panevėžys district has received a suspended prison sentence of one year and eight months for stealing approximately €70,000 from a rectory, as reported by LRT.

The Panevėžys District Court ruled that Marius Balčiūnas must serve the sentence under a two-year probation period, without intensive supervision. However, he is required to either work or register with the Employment Service, participate in behavioral correction programs, and not leave his residential district without permission from the supervising institution.

Balčiūnas, who had previously worked as a farm laborer for the priest, broke into the rectory of Smilgiai St. George Parish through the basement on December 7, 2025. He stole over €65,000 and approximately $2,700 belonging to the parish and the priest, Eugenijus Staleronkas. Most of the stolen money was found and returned during searches.

The court also ordered Balčiūnas to compensate the priest €2,100 in material damages. The judge, Česlovas Kulikauskas, noted that the sentence was influenced by factors such as the defendant’s unemployment, disability, the spontaneous nature of the crime, and the fact that most of the stolen property was recovered. The verdict is not yet final and can be appealed.