Security guards at a Jēkabpils deposit kiosk had spotted the man on CCTV trying to deposit bottles with white stickers. Upon inspection, they found that the stickers had a printed deposit symbol and barcode. He had prepared 16 bottles, which could have generated a grand profit of EUR 1.60.
The offender was detained and police were called to the scene. When questioned, he said that he had bought 70 stickers for EUR 1.20 from an unknown person on the street. If true, this prompts questions about how that interaction could have gone, presumably involving someone in a trench coat on a shady alleyway.
The man pleaded guilty. He had not been on police radar before, but this offense classifies as petty fraud and could result in a fine, community service, probation watch, or even imprisonment of up to a year. Police investigation continues.
