Stole coffee from Rimi – didn’t live to see the trial: citizen of Latvia refuted the principle of inevitability of punishment 0 11

However, the verdict was never reached – the thief passed away before the trial. The theft occurred back in August of last year…

This case illustrates the main arguments of supporters of the decriminalization of shoplifting: the processes are currently too long, expensive, and complicated.

Buyer with a Background

The theft occurred on August 28, 2025, in Pardaugava. A man (a citizen of Latvia, previously convicted, with a primary education – 4 grades, unemployed, born in 1975, married) entered the Rimi store and, "acting out of selfish motives," took 4 packages of Lavazza Oro coffee beans weighing 1 kg each from the shelf. The total value of the stolen goods was €155.96.

The thief hid the coffee in his backpack and left the sales area without paying for the goods at the checkout.

Surveillance footage captured the moment of the theft – later, these recordings were added to the case as evidence. The day after the incident, the man was detained and recognized as a suspect in committing a minor theft.

In September 2025, prosecutor Laura Shakina decided to bring him to criminal responsibility. During the investigation, the man was subjected to a preventive measure requiring him to report to the police station at a designated time. However, he did not live to see the verdict: he passed away on February 26, 2026.

On March 6 of this year, the prosecutor's office made a decision to terminate the case. All previously imposed restrictions on the deceased were lifted, and the injured party – Rimi Latvia – was notified of the decision made.

Thefts Due to Poverty

According to the State Police for 2025, the number of minor thefts grew the fastest last year.

The head of the State Police, Armand Ruks, pointed out the obvious in this regard: the number of petty thefts is increasing at a time when people are feeling a decline in their well-being, leading to quick criminal actions with minimal material gain.

He urged politicians and law enforcement agencies to initiate a discussion on whether minor thefts could be treated under administrative rather than criminal proceedings.

Recently it became known that the Ministry of Justice supports such decriminalization. The basis: there is a need to reduce the disproportionate expenditure of state resources on the investigation and consideration of such cases. However, in the working group on the Criminal Code, most experts lean towards not supporting this initiative.