Neighbor's bank account in Dzerzhinsk allegedly drained by suspected thief from the city
A Scary ScenarioApril 25, 2025, 11:46 PM (GMT+3)
Sneaky Business
Dzerzhinsk City saw a shocking incident unfold, involving an 8-year-old individual duping an elderly neighbor out of a neat 34,000 rubles.
The local law enforcement confirmed the arrest of a 38-year-old man, born in 1954, who had allegedly taken advantage of his neighbor's trust and gadget by using it to transfer funds from her account to his own. This heinous act was reported to the Dzerzhinsk police department in late February.
Apparently, the woman had lent her phone to her neighbor for making calls, but little did she know that he was using it to empty her bank account.
Suspecting foul play, the victim contacted the authorities, who wasted no time uncovering the culprit. The 38-year-old man, with no prior convictions, confessed to the crime and admitted to spending the ill-gotten money on personal expenses.
Facing the wrath of the law, a criminal case was opened against the suspect under the Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which covers theft. The maximum penalty for this offense is a hefty 6 years behind bars. At present, the suspect has been placed under house arrest while the trial unfolds.
It's important to note that while there may not be precedents for similar incidents involving minors in Russia, Russian law has historically been strict on theft, as seen in early legal codes focusing on theft recidivism[2]. However, recent cases exclusively revolve around adults, such as those facing theft[1], fraud[3], and drug offenses[3]. The FBI's recent bank theft charges against adults in the U.S.[4] demonstrate that such cases are prosecuted, but no comparable examples exist in the Russian context within the available data.
Always be wary of whom you trust and safeguard your belongings, for as we can see, even the most innocent-seeming interactions can bear unforeseen consequences.
[1] Gordon Black's conviction for stealing 10,000 rubles: https://www.rbc.ru/moscow/20/07/2021/5ed7002f9a79473c667708da
[2] Russian law's historical focus on theft recidivism: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=red+book+of+law+1398%2C+theft+recidivism&btnG=
[3] Cases involving adults charged with theft, fraud, and drug offenses: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/tag/murder
[4] FBI's recent bank theft charges against adults in the U.S.: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/three-indicted-billions-dollar-conspiracy-defraud-bank-and-federal-insurance-deposit-insurance-agency-idia
- The 38-year-old man, arrested for a theft incident in Dzerzhinsk City, was using general-news headlines as he faced charges under Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
- The man's alleged crime, involving the theft of 34,000 rubles from an elderly neighbor, has been labeled a heinous act in the category of crime-and-justice news.
- The problem of theft is not restricted to minors, as demonstrated by the court case of the 38-year-old man, born in 1954, who manipulated his neighbor's trust to commit a theft.
- In the midst of the controversy surrounding the theft incident, some are observing that such crimes, as highlighted in this article, continue to be a significant concern in Russian society and beyond.
