Brutal Robbery Series: Accused Remain Silent in Trial Over Fatal Attacks on Pensioners

A 25-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman are on trial at the Berlin Regional Court for a series of brutal robberies targeting elderly individuals. The court is hearing the case approximately four years after two fatal robberies in Saxony-Anhalt and Berlin, along with other assaults on seniors in their homes.

The accused, who initially remained silent on the charges, are alleged to have operated as a gang. The 25-year-old, a Serbian national, is accused of five offenses between June and September 2022, including murder in two instances. The prosecution claims the group gained access to victims' homes under false pretenses, such as posing as delivery personnel or utility workers.

Prosecutors stated the perpetrators were aware that their actions, including binding and gagging victims, could lead to death due to stress and respiratory issues. In August 2022, a 67-year-old woman in Annaburg, Saxony-Anhalt, died following a robbery in her home. Shortly after, an 83-year-old man in Berlin-Reinickendorf allegedly died during or as a result of a similar attack by multiple assailants. Other victims, aged 71 to 87, were overpowered and robbed.

In a previous trial related to the same robbery series, four men and the now-re-accused woman were convicted. Two defendants received life sentences for premeditated murder driven by greed. The 39-year-old woman, a mother of seven, was sentenced to six and a half years for aggravated robbery and assault in one case. That verdict is legally binding. The current trial is scheduled for 25 additional hearing dates until December 11.