A French court handed a 26-month prison sentence Friday to a former waiter who stole hundreds of artworks across Europe, a feat an expert said probably made him one of the most successful art thieves around. The court in the eastern French city of Strasbourg also ordered that Stephane Breitwieser, 33, pay damages. His lawyer said he did not plan an appeal. Breitwieser was in court although prison officials said he had been stopped from hanging himself in jail Thursday night when his cellmate raised the alarm. His mother, Mireille, who told the court she took a hammer to stolen paintings and other works worth millions of dollars to cover her son's tracks after his 2001 arrest in Switzerland, was sentenced to 18 months in jail with an additional 18-month term suspended. Her lawyer called the sentence severe and said they would study an appeal. ...
Oh, baby. "Severe"? Yewbetcha. Lol! Euro-Crime pays. When caught, you barely notice. Lessee, the "damages" are not specified - lazy reporting, perhaps? It is AP... But let's calculate: 48 months in SwissyLand + 26 months I FralaLand = 74 months / $14M (the low end)... So EuroJustice thinks this waiter's time is worth at least $189189 per month? Lol! He'll be diggin deep into the family pockets to pay "damages" - assuming he has that right. I'd love to see the details of this Pollyanna Justice Joke. Wotta F**ked System! |