4:00pm Thursday 18th March 2010
By James Connell
HUNGRY Czechs stole food and drink because they had lost their jobs and were not entitled to benefits.
Marek Kaszper and Lukas Slanina admitted shoplifting when they appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Tuesday.
Kaszper, aged 25, who gave his address as Maggs Day Centre in Deansway, Worcester, admitted the theft of a four-pack of Fosters lager worth £4.69 from Somerfield in Worcester on Monday, March 1, and of snacks and Red Bull worth £6.01 from Boots in Worcester High Street two days later.
The offences also placed him in breach of a six-month conditional discharge imposed on Monday, February 8, which he also admitted.
His friend Lukas Slanina, aged 30, who also gave his address as Maggs Day Centre, admitted stealing food items worth £7.47 from Boots in Worcester High Street on Wednesday, March 3, and breach of an earlier conditional discharge.
Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said the pair were seen on Wednesday, March 3, at 12.45pm by a loss prevention officer at Boots approaching the fridge and taking a number of items between them.
Mr Dodson said: “They were seen to leave the store without making payment for those goods. They said they did this because they were hungry and had no alternative but to steal as they had no money and no means to support themselves.”
The conditional discharge, which applied to both men, was for stealing from supermarket Aldi when they left without paying.
Mark Stanley, representing both men, said they had been working 12-hour shifts as cleaners since coming to the UK from the Czech Republic but had since lost their jobs.
He said: “Because they haven’t lived in this country long enough they don’t qualify for benefits. The motive behind the thefts was not having enough money to support themselves. They are low level, unsophisticated thefts born out of not having any money to live on.”
He also said they had since secured work via an agency.
Kaszper was ordered to pay compensation of £10.70 for the thefts, fined £50 for breach of a conditional discharge, costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.
Slanina was fined £65 for theft, £50 for breach of a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs, a £15 victim surcharge and compensation of £7.47 to Boots.
Your Worcester News reporter was the only member of the media at this court hearing.
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