© picture alliance / dpa | Matthias Balk
In southern Germany, a German couple, over a span of 10 years, stole nearly 1.9 million euros from parking meters. At the start of their trial in Kempten, in the German state of Bavaria, the 40-year-old man made a full confession.
The man was employed as a municipal official in Kempten, in the German state of Bavaria, and was tasked with emptying the city's parking meters. The position he was given gave him access to the vending machines' keys and cash drawers. Together with his 39-year-old wife, he diverted some of the proceeds to private accounts, which they then converted into supermarket vouchers.
Between 2020 and 2025, the couple allegedly stole a total of 1.34 million euros on 335 separate occasions. More than 500 previous thefts, going back to 2015 and accounting for about 584,000 euros, are now time-barred and cannot be criminally prosecuted. German media reported that a court employee reported at the trial that a total of 13 tons of coins were brought to the bank.
The couple has been in pre-trial detention since November. At the trial, the man expressed great regret and acknowledged that the charges were correct on all counts. The couple risks a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Whether the municipality can recover the money remains to be seen: the couple stated they spent the money on luxury goods such as bags, perfume, shoes and cars.
Picture: © picture alliance / dpa | Matthias Balk