The trial in the case of the attack on the convoy in December 2021 and the theft of over PLN 2.8 million has not ended. The date of the next hearing has been set. The reason was the prosecutor's request to hear a new witness – the wife of one of the two accused. In the investigation currently conducted by the Płock prosecutor's office, as part of which Anna J. was temporarily arrested, threads appeared that could be related to the case covered by the trial.
In this case, during the previous hearing, which took place in early June, the court set another date for August 22, planning to hear the last two witnesses, and then close the trial and the parties' closing arguments. On Thursday, however, when the hearing resumed, the prosecutor requested the hearing of a new witness – Anna J., the wife of one of the two accused, Andrzej J.
“Threads have emerged that may be related to the case in question”
In justifying the motion, the prosecutor argued that in the investigation currently conducted by the Płock District Prosecutor's Office, within the framework of which Anna J. was temporarily arrested, there were threads that could be related to the case at issue in the trial. Ultimately, the court decided, also referring to Anna J.'s earlier refusal to testify in the trial, to issue an order for her to re-state her position on this issue. At the same time, the court decided to adjourn the hearing until October 3, reserving this date for possible testimony by Anna J. If she does not testify, the court did not rule out that it will then close the proceedings.
Two accused, neither admits guilt
The accused of attacking a convoy and stealing over PLN 2.8 million in December 2021 in Płock are 48-year-old Andrzej J. and 59-year-old Wojciech W., who are both free on bail. Both do not admit to committing the crime, as they stated in December last year when the trial began.
On Thursday, only Andrzej J. was present in court. Before the prosecutor's motion, the court heard the testimony of a random witness to the attack. The second of the summoned witnesses did not appear.
They were supposed to be working with other, unidentified people.
According to the indictment, on December 20, 2021, in Płock, Andrzej J., together and in agreement with Wojciech W. and other, as yet unidentified persons, as part of the division of roles, using a stun gun and tear gas, made the convoy defenseless, and then stole over PLN 2.8 million from takings, including local DPD, Lotos Paliwa, Kaufland, KFC and Media Markt branches.
In turn, Wojciech W., according to the indictment, is responsible for the fact that, acting with the intention that other people would commit a robbery, he purchased a Renault Laguna car on October 12, 2021 and a Renault Kangoo car on November 23, 2021, thereby making it easier for Andrzej J. and other as yet unidentified persons to commit the crime.
The investigation into this case was conducted and the indictment was drawn up by the District Prosecutor's Office in Płock. It established, among other things, that after attacking the convoy on the outskirts of Płock and stealing money, the attackers drove away from the scene in a Renault Kangoo delivery van, and a few streets away abandoned and set fire to the car. Two suspects were detained in March 2022. Part of the stolen money was recovered.
He claims that the money found was not from the robbery.
During the investigation, Andrzej J. claimed that at the time of the robbery, he was in Spain, while the money that was found under the floor of the house on his plot – PLN 430,000 – he hid there from his wife, and that it came from, among others, his parents. Referring to the stamps from stolen banknotes, which were also discovered on his property, he suggested that other, outsiders could have had access to the plot.
He assessed the charge of assault and robbery as absurd. He pointed out that he had run a business, was the president of several companies, including abroad. “I don't need to attack people,” Andrzej J. said during the investigation.
He confirmed all these explanations, also those concerning his 30-year acquaintance with Wojciech W., in court when the trial began.
The second accused only admitted to importing the cars.
At that time, Wojciech W. also explained that he only admitted to importing the cars – a Renault Laguna from Warsaw and a Renault Kangoo – from Piotrków Kujawski, in both cases to Płock. He also stated that he was not aware at the time that they would be used for a robbery. He said that he had anticipated that both cars could be used for “smuggling cigarettes”. He explained that he had purchased the cars on behalf of and with the money of two Ukrainian citizens, whose names he did not remember.
It was supposed to be compensation for an unpaid debt, and the reason was also the fear that a refusal could be dangerous for him and his family. Wojciech W. also claimed that he later received 30 or 40 thousand zlotys with stamps from the same Ukrainian citizens for a “very well done job” – importing cars. According to him, this was also an amount for “arranging something – something illegal there”. In giving these explanations, Wojciech W. repeatedly emphasized that he had been an alcoholic for years. At the same time, he assured that he was telling the truth.
According to him, the banknote bands found on Andrzej J.'s property did not come from stolen cash. Wojciech W. explained at the beginning of the trial that for some time he lived in a house on Andrzej J.'s plot and that was where he tried to burn the banknote bands he received from Ukrainian citizens.
“I just caused some damage”
“This whole situation is my fault,” emphasized Wojciech W. “I simply caused the damage, because Andrzej, my friend – although we are in a quarrel now – was innocently imprisoned for a year,” he reported, among other things, referring to the temporary arrest of Andrzej J., which was later waived by applying property bail.
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