What a loser! Crook who posed as a mannequin so he could rob the store when it was closed gets 16 months in prison
- Wojciech G. was charged in Warsaw with burglary and attempted burglary
- It is estimated that he caused around £5,000 worth of damage during the shooting
A crook who posed as a shop window dummy to loot a shopping centre at night has been sentenced to 16 months in prison in Poland.
After standing still and posing as a mannequin, suspect Wojciech G. went on to rob stores in the Westfield Arkadia shopping center in Warsaw.
Judges heard how he pocketed jewellery, money and clothes as he walked from shop to shop in the Polish complex after customers and staff had gone home.
He was also accused of stopping by the food court to loot shops for snacks and money, only to return later for a meal.
The 22-year-old thief confessed to burglary and theft during a hearing at a Warsaw District Court, local media reported on Wednesday.
A man poses as a mannequin in Central Europe’s largest shopping mall before robbing it
The man was temporarily arrested for three months and is now in custody for 16 months
Security footage shows the suspect inside the mall, where he stole clothes and money
CCTV footage captured the man pushing his way into another store under a steel curtain and reportedly grabbing some designer clothing
Security camera footage from the shopping center shows Wojciech jumping over the counter of a sandwich shop to steal food and drinks, then ducking as a security guard walks by.
Later footage showed him hiding under a tarpaulin above a bar, where he stole drinks and tips from waiters, before being caught by shopping centre security.
In a bizarre photo, Wojciech is seen posing in a window display of jeans brand Wrangler’s Barbie Collection from the hit film.
He was claimed having stolen several thousand zlotys, including tips from employees.
The damage amounted to PLN 24,000 (£4,728).
Police reported that an “unusual thief” was active in Westfield Arkadia and Złote Tarasy.
Robert Szumiata, an investigator who worked on the case, said in October: ‘Just before the mall closed, the 22-year-old stood motionless with a handbag in his hand. He pretended to be a mannequin and stood in front of a shop window.
‘In this way he wanted to avoid being discovered by surveillance cameras. After the shopping center closed, the man robbed the so-called jewelry island.
‘On another day – also after the mall was closed – he ate at one of the bars and then exchanged his clothes for new ones, entering the store under the steel curtain.
‘When the man became hungry again, he went back to the bar for another meal.’
Judges heard how Wojciech was arrested in October last year but when he was released on bail he immediately returned to the shopping centre to pose as a fake again.
CCTV shows the suspect walking to a cubicle before someone else runs in. A security guard is said to have stopped him
The suspect is arrested by a police officer in Warsaw, no date
According to local media, the court ruled that the verdict is final and cannot be appealed.
The Criminal Code allows for sentences of up to 10 years for such crimes, RP reports.
Four charges were filed in the shooting, with Wojciech charged with burglary and theft.
According to local media, he did not contest the verdict.
Westfield Arkadia is the largest shopping centre in Central Europe, with approximately 230 shops and 25 restaurants.