Novi Sad Robbery Spree: Suspect Arrested on Nine Charges
Police in Novi Sad say they arrested a 45 year old Bosnian national suspected of seven robberies, aggravated theft and a threat to a woman's safety.
Police have cracked a string of robberies in Novi Sad and arrested N. D., 45, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He faces charges over nine separate crimes. The Novi Sad Police Directorate announced the arrest at 11:56 a.m. on August 13, listing seven robberies, three of which stalled at the attempt stage, one count of aggravated theft and one count of endangering safety. The case was built together with the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad.
A Replica Gun Instead of a Real Weapon
According to the allegations, the suspect walked into business premises and demanded cash from the till from the women working there, threatening them with a replica pistol. He got away with the money in four of the incidents; the other three attempts left him empty handed.
That is how police themselves describe it.
over the preceding period he threatened staff at business premises with a replica pistol and demanded the day’s cash takings
The line comes from a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior’s Novi Sad Police Directorate. The replica pistol was later found in the suspect’s vehicle, and investigators believe it is the same prop used during the robberies.
A Break in on Rumenacka Street and Threats by Phone
On August 8, investigators believe, the suspect broke into a catering establishment on Rumenacka Street and made off with a hand held power tool. That incident was classified as aggravated theft.
A few days later came the ninth and final item on the list. He is accused of threatening a woman from Novi Sad by phone, which under the law amounts to endangering her safety.
What Was Found During the Arrest
When the suspect was taken into custody, officers found a small packet of powder suspected to be amphetamine, along with a knife. The powder will bring a criminal complaint for unauthorized possession of narcotics, while the knife will bring a request to open misdemeanor proceedings under the Law on Weapons and Ammunition.
N. D. has been remanded for up to 48 hours. Along with the criminal complaint, he will be brought before the basic public prosecutor in Novi Sad. Guilt is a matter for the courts, and until a final verdict the case rests on reasonable suspicion.
The arrest itself was caught on camera. Journalist Mladen Mijatovic posted footage on his Instagram account showing officers walking the suspect out of a car and toward a police vehicle. His face is not visible in the clip.
How Common Have Cases Like This Been in Novi Sad?
Nine crimes tied to a single person is a striking number for one city and one police statement, but it is not an isolated case.
In June, Novi Sad police arrested A. K., 40, from the outskirts of the city, suspected of carrying out three street robberies in Novi Sad. This outlet has previously reported on a wave of break ins in the same city, including a case involving three suspects, one of whom was caught in the act. In those cases too the targets were catering and retail businesses, the kind of places where cash builds up by the end of a shift.
The pattern is simple. The attacks hit small premises staffed by one or two women behind the counter, timed for when the till holds the day’s takings, and in this latest case, without a real weapon in sight.
