Belgrade armed robber arrested after stealing 1.7 million dinars
Serbian police arrested a Belgrade man suspected of robbing stores of two retail chains at gunpoint between 2023 and 2026, taking more than 1.7 million dinars.
- Police arrested B. A. (40) from Belgrade, suspected of several counts of robbery.
- The robberies were carried out between 2023 and 2026 at stores belonging to two retail chains.
- Using the threat of a firearm, the suspect allegedly stole more than 1.7 million dinars.
- He was detained for up to 48 hours and will be brought before the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade.
Officers of the Ministry of the Interior arrested B. A. (40) from Belgrade, suspected of robbing several stores in the capital at gunpoint over a three year period. According to unofficial information, the targets were outlets belonging to two retail chains.
The suspect is charged with several counts of robbery committed between 2023 and 2026. Police say that, using a firearm, he took more than 1.7 million dinars from the stores’ tills. The arrest was carried out by the Interior Ministry, the Criminal Police Directorate and the Department for the Suppression of Property Crime.
How the police operation unfolded
The operation was carried out jointly by officers of the Criminal Police Directorate and the Department for the Suppression of Property Crime. According to police, the suspect used a firearm during the attacks, placing employees in a state of fear and coercion.
The investigation covers several separate incidents that coincide in time with a series of reported robberies at Belgrade stores. The core of the suspicion is that the same person was responsible, repeating a similar pattern of attacks over a longer period.
Police list the following basic elements of the case:
- the suspect is B. A. (40) from Belgrade
- he is charged with several counts of robbery
- the attacks were carried out between 2023 and 2026
- the targets were stores of two retail chains
- the damage exceeds 1.7 million dinars
What happens after the arrest?
The suspect was detained for up to 48 hours. Once that period expires, together with a criminal complaint, he will be brought before the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, which will decide on the further course of the proceedings.
Until a final court ruling, the suspect is presumed innocent. The competent prosecutor’s office will decide on any motion for detention and on the legal classification of the offense, based on the collected evidence and the criminal complaint filed by police.
From the standpoint of criminal law, robbery committed with a firearm falls among the more serious property offenses. The question remains whether the prosecution will treat the acts as a continuing criminal offense, given that this is a series of attacks spanning three years.
Will operations targeting serial store robberies change how safe retail employees feel at work?
