By Bernhard Schilz
The Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) want around 90 million euros from the Remmos. In a compensation procedure, the confessed burglars should be sentenced to exactly this sum together with the prison sentences. But the district court rejected that.
In addition to the mild prison sentences, the presiding criminal judge Andreas Sigel (62) only imposed an obligation to pay damages “basically.” This means that they are liable for damages, but the amount must first be determined in a civil lawsuit.
According to spokesman Holger Liebs, whether the SKD wants to go this route must first be checked after the verdict. The biggest risk: Even if the Remmos are obliged to pay damages, where will the millions come from? It is unclear whether anything can be obtained from the convicts.
The accused in the Dresden jewel theft with their lawyers in court on Tuesday Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/Pool via REUTERS
Some of the accused have neither a school diploma nor a job. For example, Wissam Remmo recently worked as a courier driver. However, you are obliged to provide asset information.
An insider: “If such people drive expensive cars, they are usually registered to other people.” The probability of compensation is therefore “extremely low”. If the convicted Remmos have no assets, then nothing can be taken from them.
You can’t put the jewel thieves to work. The convicts cannot be deported either: they were all born in Germany.
The clan villa in Alt-Buckow (estimated living space 400 square meters) costs 1700 euros rent Photo: spreepicture
The renowned Dresden criminal defense lawyer Robert Zukowski (45): “Forced labor to make amends for damage is not possible in the German legal system. Only a fine can be converted into (social) working hours to avoid a substitute imprisonment. However, the convicted person is obliged under the Value Compensation Act to make amends for the damage and this applies to more than 30 years, unless enforcement is discontinued earlier for special reasons. The public prosecutor’s office can seize assets, but also income. The social assistance rate applies here as the garnishment lower limit and deductible. Only maintenance obligations, e.g. for children, are exempt from attachment. The convicted persons are also obliged to provide regular asset information, which the public prosecutor’s office must request again and again.”
The demolished jewelry is currently being kept in the State Art Collections, but it is not yet allowed to be shown.
SKD spokesman Holger Liebs: “The SKD want to present the jewels to the public as soon as possible and share the joy of the return with our audience. But we can only do that once the jewels have been released by the court. We do not yet know when this will be the case.”
A large part of the valuable treasure trove of jewels is back Photo: Jürgen Karpinski/Green Vault/Police Directorate Dresden/dpa
BILD followed up with the district court. The Chamber has ruled that the jewellery, even the photos of the damage, may not be shown in public because they are evidence until the end of the proceedings.
Next Tuesday, one week after the verdict, the legally prescribed objection period against the verdict ends. If all the accused and the public prosecutor accept the verdict, it would be final and the SKD would be allowed to show the jewelry again.