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Polish Woman, Three Men Detained Over Ten Fires in Croatia's Zadar Region
๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท Croatia /Crime & Justice

Polish Woman, Three Men Detained Over Ten Fires in Croatia's Zadar Region

From Veฤernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • A Polish woman and three Croatian men are suspected of intentionally starting ten fires in the Zadar region of Croatia.
  • The suspects were reportedly heavily intoxicated and "went on an adventure" after a multi-day drinking binge.
  • All four have been placed in one month of pre-trial detention, with authorities not ruling out terrorism charges if new information emerges.

A Polish woman and three Croatian men are suspected of intentionally starting ten fires across the Zadar region of Croatia between August 14 and 15. The suspects, identified as Aleksandra Cichocka from Poland and three Croatian nationals aged 42, 45, and 46, are accused of deliberately igniting dry grass along roadsides.

According to sources close to the investigation, Cichocka, who was reportedly passing through Croatia, was involved in a multi-day drinking spree with the other suspects. "She is not aware of what she has done, but she will be in some time," a source told 24sata, describing the group's actions as an "adventure" after consuming "unlimited quantities of alcohol."

One of the accused Croatian men is Daniel Stegnjaiฤ‡, who inherited his family's agricultural cooperative and has received significant state subsidies. Another suspect is Vladimir ฤ†upiฤ‡, known from a past scandal involving the improper disposal of industrial waste on his land. The third Croatian suspect is Jovan Mioviฤ‡, about whom little public information is available.

She is not aware of what she has done, but she will be in some time.

โ€” Source close to the investigationDescribing the Polish suspect's potential realization of her actions.

All four have been placed in one month of pre-trial detention by a judge at the County Court in Zadar. The prosecution is charging them with a serious crime against public safety, which carries a prison sentence of one to ten years. Detention was ordered due to the risk of re-offending, and for the three men, also due to the risk of influencing witnesses. One suspect faces an additional flight risk due to holding dual Croatian and Serbian citizenship.

The motive behind the fires remains unclear. Investigators are examining seized mobile phones for any relevant communications. The judge noted that the legal qualification of the acts could change, potentially including terrorism, if new information warrants it.

How much I know, after that party they had among themselves, they just got into the car and went on an adventure.

โ€” Source close to the investigationExplaining the alleged spontaneous nature of the group's actions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.