What to do if money is stolen and how the thief can be punished

What is theft of money, how to prove it and return your honestly earned money? What responsibility for theft of money does the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provide for?

Theft is the secret theft of someone else's property. The appropriation of someone else's property occurs secretly if:

• the persons present next to the attacker were not aware of the illegal actions on his part;
• a criminal offense was committed in the presence of persons from whom the attacker did not expect illegal actions (relatives, friends);
• the theft of funds was not reported to their owner or third parties.

Please note! The end of the crime is the fact of taking someone else's money. It does not matter whether the attacker managed to use the stolen property at his own discretion.

Theft of funds or simply “theft of money.” How much do they give and what article?

Money can be stolen in different ways - it could be theft, or it could be robbery or robbery, etc. It is important to understand their differences in order to definitely answer the question - what will be the punishment for the person who stole your money.
It is precisely because of the way they were abducted that responsibility and other features will develop. Let's figure it out. To begin with, let us clarify that citizens often confuse the concepts of “theft” and “robbery.” All this is theft. But theft is one thing, and robbery is another. And their punishment periods are different. In the article we will consider how many forms of theft there are, for what crimes what punishments are given, whether it is possible to return stolen money and how to do it, as well as other nuances.

Article for theft: general composition

For theft the subject faces:

1. Mandatory work. Their duration is up to 180 hours.
2. Arrest up to 4 months
3. Correctional labor from six months to a year.
4. Imprisonment up to 2 years.

The norm provides for one more punishment. It is considered the softest. This is a fine. For theft, up to 80 thousand rubles can be recovered from the subject. or an amount equal to his salary (other income) for six months.

Qualifying composition

Subjects may commit theft in different ways. Article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation in Part 2 establishes the punishment for theft:

1. A group of subjects who had a conspiracy.
2. With unlawful entry into a storage facility or other premises.
3. Causing significant harm to the victim.
4. From a bag (other hand luggage), clothes that were on or with the victim.

For such theft, the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation establishes:

1. Mandatory work for 180-240 hours.
2. Monetary penalty in the amount of up to 200 thousand rubles. or equal to salary (other income) for 1.5 years.
3. Correctional labor for 1-2 years.
4. Imprisonment for up to 5 years.

Aggravating circumstances

The subject can commit theft:

1. Illegally entering a residential premises.
2. From a gas and oil pipeline.
3. In a size considered large.

For such theft, the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation charges:

1. Monetary recovery from 100 to 500 thousand rubles. or equal to the income/salary of the convicted person for 1-3 years.
2. Imprisonment for 2-6 years.

In the latter case, an additional monetary penalty of up to 80 thousand rubles may be imposed. or in the amount of income/salary for six months. Theft can also be committed in an amount considered especially large or by an organized group. For such theft, an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for imprisonment for 5-10 years. Additionally, the perpetrators may be subject to a monetary penalty of up to 1 million rubles. or equal to income/salary for a period of up to 5 years.

Distinction from related crimes

Crimes against property have a number of similar features both in the object of theft and in qualifying factors. In order to differentiate the composition of acts related to theft, we highlight the significant differences in the composition of each type:

• fraud (Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - seizure of property, money using deception or using a trust relationship between the criminal and the victim. The goal is to convince a person to voluntarily give up his property and place it at the disposal of the fraudster;
• embezzlement (Article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - theft of money or other property that was temporarily at the disposal of the criminal;
• robbery (Article 161 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - theft in front of witnesses;
• robbery (Article 162 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - seizure of property associated with violence or the threat of its use;
• extortion (Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - influencing the victim in such a way that she independently transfers things to the attacker. It differs from fraud in that the criminal openly threatens to use violence or violate other rights of the victim by disseminating information that defames him.

Secret theft of funds: what to do

Money thefts are diverse, the most popular crime is the theft of money from a pocket, purse, or bag. What is the reaction to theft from most citizens? Panic due to not knowing what to do.

We recommend not to despair, cool your emotions and remember the possible moment of the theft.

Even when making online purchases or paying with bank cards, no one is safe from fraudulent activities.

Also read: What is the difference between theft and robbery: the main differences and illustrative examples

Where to go if money is stolen? First of all, you need to contact:

• to law enforcement agencies - write a statement to the police, not to the prosecutor's office, so as not to waste time. The police are required to accept statements from citizens about any crimes. The applicant has the right to appeal the refusal to accept a report of a crime in court;
• with a statement to a bank or credit institution if money is stolen from the account. Banks may believe that they are not responsible for the theft of money, since it was committed using the victim’s card, and the bank has no doubts about the legality of using the card. The law obliges the bank to return to the client the amount removed from his possession without the will of the owner. Current judicial practice is such that courts not only recover stolen funds, but also compensate for moral damages under consumer protection legislation;
• in court with a civil claim as part of a criminal case against the alleged offender. A civil claim is considered by the court at the time of sentencing. If the criminal is found and sentenced, and the claim is satisfied, you can proceed to the next point;
• to the bailiffs and send them a writ of execution for the purpose of forced collection. It is not easy to work with bailiffs, since their actions and inactions often need to be appealed in court, including refusal to seize the accounts of the culprit of theft, refusal to search for property.

The victim can request information from the tax office about the accounts of the guilty person. The Federal Tax Service cannot refuse. After receiving the information, the victim has the right, without contacting the bailiffs, to present a writ of execution to the bank servicing the thief’s accounts, filing an application for their arrest and withholding of the amounts under the writ of execution.

What to do in cases where money is stolen?

There are a huge number of variations of cash thefts. The most common cases of money theft are when they are simply pulled out of a bag, wallet or pocket.

Most people immediately panic after a theft; not knowing what to do in such a situation leads them to a dead end. There is no need to despair, you need to pull yourself together and recall in your memory those moments when the theft was committed. It is worth knowing that even in those moments when online purchases are made or payments are made by bank card, no one is safe from fraudsters.

The concept of theft is described in detail in Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Depending on how much is stolen and how the crime is committed, the attacker faces varying degrees of punishment:

1. Payment of a minor fine (calculated depending on how much money the criminal stole);
2. Correctional work (lasting from a month to several years);
3. Imprisonment (depending on whether the offender acted alone or a group of people was involved).

Liability for petty theft

The onset of criminal liability directly depends on the damage caused.

Part 1 art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation qualifies theft as a crime if the amount of theft is at least 1 thousand rubles.

If there is a theft of an amount or goods worth up to 1 thousand rubles, the theft is considered petty. Such an act represents a lower degree of public danger, and relations are regulated by the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

To qualify an act as petty theft, the following conditions are necessary:

• the presence of losses caused to the owner;
• the person involved is not the owner or co-owner of the property;
• the legal owner has completely or partially lost the ability to dispose of the property.

What to do if someone stole money

If your search for money on your own is unsuccessful, do not hesitate to contact the police or call officers to the scene. Under criminal law, theft is a punishable offense, punishable by a fine or imprisonment for a certain period.

The victim must give a statement to the police or help compile a complete list of witnesses.

When relationships with people are built on trust, it is difficult to prove theft within a legal framework, since you cannot provide objective evidence. But if the money was kept in a package or container, and there were fingerprints on it, then you have a chance. You can keep transcribed bill numbers that the police could at least partially discover. However, if you kept the money in an open place, in a closet among things, you are unlikely to find evidence that you put it there.

In any case, it is necessary to contact the police with a statement of theft, which law enforcement officers register in the crime reporting book.

The police will organize an inspection, inspection of the crime scene, interviewing those living in the apartment, etc. After this, a decision is made to initiate a criminal case or refuse to initiate one, and a copy of it will be given to you. If you do not agree with the decision, you can appeal it to the prosecutor's office or court.

What could be the evidence?

Evidence of theft can be various kinds of traces left by criminals.

These could be shoe marks on the carpets, traces of other types of penetration, and also, if the theft was committed on the street or in public transport, it is quite possible that the criminal’s hair was left on you.

Also, the criminal may be noticed by other people who will witness such a crime.

Hidden camera

A hidden camera can help in cases such as proof of theft.

Hidden cameras are installed in stores, in front of entrances, on some streets and even in cars.

This is why cameras are always good evidence these days.

Typically, the camera contains all the necessary evidence.

Police officers may also ask citizens to provide dashcam footage.

Watch the video of how a hidden camera helped expose criminals:

https://youtu.be/WUjK9jrFWz8

Other

Damaged items
may be evidence .

So, these can be cut bags, pockets, and so on.

But also, evidence can include the crime weapons that the criminal left at the scene in a hurry.

These could be knives, blades, hooks and other devices that served as assistants for committing theft .

The suspect's fingerprints may also remain on such devices.

Punishments for various types of money theft

In accordance with the paragraphs of the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on theft, theft of financial assets is recognized as theft in cases where the criminal had the opportunity to use the stolen property. The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, in cases where the actions of the attacker for some reason were not brought to completion, formulates the incident as an attempted theft, and the punishment should be much more lenient. If the actions of the criminal were noticed, and he, wanting to take possession of other people’s finances, used violence, his actions, according to the articles of the Criminal Code, are classified as robbery.

How to prove money theft

To prove the theft, you need to know exactly how and how much was stolen, and what denomination the bills were. Money can be stolen from a wallet, pocket, or stolen along with the wallet. If the theft is committed during a checkout at a supermarket, there is a high probability that there is video recording of the event.

It is important to remember where the theft could have happened, where were you at that moment?

If money is stolen from an apartment, such a qualifying circumstance as home invasion is strictly punishable by criminal law. The fact is proven by evidence left by the attackers. You can use the testimony of loved ones who live with you and can confirm that there was money in the apartment.

You need to remember how much and in what bills you keep at home. If thieves left evidence in your apartment, be sure to point it out to the investigator. Carefully inspect the door and windows. Perhaps the criminals got inside through the windows and left traces or opened the door with a master key; inspect the door for deformation of its surface. When you discover evidence, try to keep all traces in their original form.

Evidence of theft is provided by various types of traces: shoe marks, prints, etc. If the theft occurred on public transport, a sufficient trace is the hair of the criminal. If other people notice the attacker's act, they will become witnesses to the crime. Hidden cameras installed on cars, streets, entrances, and shops often help to expose criminals.

Also read: What is the punishment under the article if the theft is committed by a minor

Collection of evidence

The evidence that will be taken into account during the investigation of a crime may include::

1. Information from eyewitnesses of the incident.
2. CCTV camera recording.
3. Traces left by the person who committed the theft (footprints, fingerprints, personal items).
4. Statements from a bank or mobile phone company about debiting funds.

Submitting an application

The investigator or inquiry officer, within 3 days, makes a reasoned decision to initiate a criminal case or to refuse to initiate a criminal case.
During an inspection carried out by authorized persons on an application for theft of funds, the applicant may be required to explain the circumstances of the crime. Preliminary investigation in a criminal case in accordance with Art. 162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation lasts no more than 2 months from the date of initiation of the criminal case.

The period of preliminary investigation can be legally extended in connection with the identification of additional circumstances in the criminal case, the conduct of long-term examinations, etc., which must be reported to the applicant, the victim in the criminal case.

The investigation of a criminal case ends with the drawing up of an indictment and sending it to the prosecutor. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of money can be the most incredible . It also happens when a citizen from whom money was stolen reliably knows the person who committed the theft. In this case, it is also necessary to contact law enforcement agencies as soon as possible with a statement, but the procedure for drawing up a statement about a crime will have its own peculiarities. You cannot write that citizen N stole money. Because only the court can decide whether a person is guilty or not. If it is subsequently established that citizen N is not guilty, then the applicant will be prosecuted for false denunciation (Article 306 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

If your bank card is lost or stolen, you must first block it. Now there are many options for blocking a card:

• SMS.
• Through an online account.
• By hotline.

Next, you need to contact the bank to reissue the card.

If a PIN code is stolen along with a bank card, and funds are withdrawn from the card, then immediately at the moment the fact is discovered, you need to block the card. After this, go to the bank to write an application for re-issuance of the card due to the theft. There is no point in writing a claim for compensation. You need to contact the police.

The age of progressive technologies has a downside in the form of an unprecedented scale of fraudulent activities with funds in the bank accounts of citizens. However, keeping your cash and debit and credit cards safe starts with following simple rules . Therefore, in order to avoid becoming a victim of theft of funds, you must resist scammers and be vigilant in handling money.

Theft and the law

Did you know that in the Criminal Code there are 6 articles dedicated to theft of money?
In addition to the differences in responsibility that each of them promises, the nuances of the crime itself are also different. Let us briefly touch on the crimes of five of them. Article 159 , dealing with fraud.
It states that a crime is committed if a person takes possession of someone else’s funds through deception, taking advantage of his official position or a trusting relationship between him and the victim. That is, in this case, the victim was to some extent aware of the fraudster’s actions, although he was unaware of their motives and consequences.

Article 160 , misappropriation or embezzlement. Occurs if the criminal disposes of someone else’s property, which was entrusted to him for a certain period of time, for his own, often selfish, purposes, without the knowledge and consent of the legal owner.

Article 161 , robbery. Robbery is the theft of someone else's property openly, in front of witnesses.

Article 162 , robbery. This is the theft of funds and property using brute physical force, which poses a threat to the health and life of the victim.

Article 163 , extortion. In terms of the elements of the crime, it is partially reminiscent of fraud, but differs in that the fraudster will try to the last to do everything so that his victim does not realize that his own property has been stolen, and the extortionist, in turn, will threaten the person openly, threatening to force the victim to give him what he demands. .

And now we come to Article 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which is referred to as “Theft”. Let's talk about the elements of this crime, which differs from those mentioned earlier.

Article 158 – Theft

The crime will be considered theft if the theft of money occurred secretly , as opposed to robbery and robbery. That is, without the use of force, without threats, without attracting any attention to oneself at all - that is, without witnesses.

In fact, of course there may be witnesses, for example, if the criminal stole money from the victim on a bus where there were other passengers. No one, including the victim, had any idea that the robbery was happening literally next to them, but they would still be considered witnesses.

The concept of theft may include various illegal actions related to the theft of money. This can be not only the theft of money from a wallet, pockets, bag, or in direct contact with the victim.

If a thief entered private territory or some public place where other people’s money remained and robbed others, his actions will still be condemned under Article 158. By the way, theft of a sum of money from another person’s card also falls on this list ( however, with some exceptions).

Bank cards

It’s worth talking about bank cards in more detail. If you think that stealing money from a card is an incredibly difficult undertaking, then we hasten to disappoint you - it is easier than it seems. Moreover, the danger lies not only in the loss of a bank card .
Various Internet services offering to quickly top up your account online using a bank card may turn out to be scams. They ask you to enter the card number, expiration date and three treasured numbers on the back... You enter, and in the end, not only is your mobile account not replenished, but money suddenly begins to disappear from the card.

The danger also lies in modern smartphones, to which bank cards are increasingly being linked. After losing a phone, the cards that were linked to it also fall into the risk zone. However, for some thieves, mobile banking services with automatic account replenishment are enough.

But, if money disappears from your card, even though you didn’t lose your phone or card, didn’t use the services of dubious online services, and are completely sure that you didn’t give anyone personal data regarding the card itself, then most likely there was a problem. at the ATM on which the reader was installed.

This type of crime has already become a rarity, since recently law enforcement agencies, together with bank employees, carefully fought this scourge, but sad precedents continue to occur. Such cases, as a rule, do not go through under Article 158. Installing reading devices in an ATM and, as a result, stealing money from a card is Article 187 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which is even more stringent.

What ways can you get your money back?

There is another way to bring the attacker to justice. After the crime has been committed, the parties can come to an agreement and enter into a peace agreement. The victim, having assessed the amount of material damage, can safely demand compensation for moral and psychological harm to health.

The following conclusion can be drawn - first of all, after you notice the theft of money, you should contact law enforcement agencies, where they are obliged to provide you with qualified assistance. Persons who have suffered at the hands of a criminal do not always contact the relevant authorities to file a complaint about the theft. The attacker remains unpunished, which pushes him to commit new crimes.

It will be possible to prove the fact of theft even in cases where the statute of limitations is three years, but you should still not hesitate to contact the police. If you are the victim of a criminal, remember that even the smallest details of the crime will help bring the offender to justice. Contacting a lawyer, of course, will guarantee that the culprit will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

What to do if it's stolen

Let's talk about the actions that you definitely need to take at the same moment when you discover the loss.

Of course,
first of all, you need to contact the police .
This will need to be done in any case, regardless of how exactly you were robbed. If your apartment was robbed , and the evidence of this is unnatural chaos, broken, damaged locks, missing things, you should immediately call the police so that they can testify to all of the above.

If you have been robbed by taking money (or other valuable property) from your bag or pockets, you should immediately go to the nearest police station and file a theft report there. For such statements, there is a special form, which usually indicates the alleged place and time of the crime, as well as a list of missing things, up to a detailed listing of stolen banknotes.

In the event of theft of funds from your bank card , contacting the police is also inevitable, but, in addition, you need to contact the bank whose client you are. Since the bank is obliged to return to clients the money that was spent as a result of transactions for which the client did not give consent, it will be very difficult to prove the fact of theft from his card.

Proof of money theft

If the theft of funds occurred from a bank card, then you can prove this by requesting a printout from the bank with all transactions performed (recently). It will indicate which ATMs and at what time the card was used; you just need to prove that you were in a different place at that time.

Almost all branches of large banks have video cameras installed, which can be used to track who performed the transaction at a certain moment.

With evidence of a theft that happened directly to you, that is, a thief stole a wallet, for example, it will be a little more difficult. You need to obtain testimony from any possible witnesses (for example, if the theft occurred on a bus, then the driver of that same bus or other passengers).

If the theft of property occurred in a store or in any public place where there are video cameras, then recordings from them will be a great advantage.

If you are accused of stealing money that you did not commit

In a situation where you are accused of a monetary theft that you did not commit, you must insist to the last on your own innocence. The prosecution must file a police report. You have the right to write a counter-statement against him, accusing him of intentional slander. If you manage to prove the offender’s guilt, he will be punished:

• fine up to 120 thousand rubles;
• a fine in the amount of annual earnings;
• compulsory work up to 480 hours;
• correctional labor for up to 2 years;
• arrest for up to six months;
• imprisonment for up to 2 years.

A false denunciation is considered to be untrue, deliberately false statements or messages to officials whose competence includes criminal procedural actions. Aggravating circumstances for such a crime are falsified and artificially created evidence for the prosecution, selfish motives, etc.

Please note! A false accusation carries serious penalties, so if the offender does not have evidence, he will not file a report with the police.

Enterprises often use non-standard methods to solve the problem of theft. For example, an employer hires a polygraph examiner to find out which staff member stole money. This check is carried out only with the consent of the suspect. But polygraph answers are not official evidence, since there is a high probability of error due to excessive excitement or emotions of the subject. The following persons are not allowed to take a polygraph test:

• with pronounced mental and physical exhaustion;
• minors under 14 years of age;
• those suffering from mental illness, severe respiratory or cardiovascular pathology;
• under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• pregnant women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy;
• secret service workers.

Responsibility for theft under Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

The concept of this crime is given in Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The punishment depends on the value of the stolen property and the method of committing the crime. Much depends on the presence of mitigating or aggravating circumstances, the absence or presence of qualifying circumstances.

Also read: At what amount does criminal liability for theft begin, how is damage determined?

If we talk about the execution of a court decision in a civil suit for compensation for material and moral damage, then often the criminals have no income and property. If a person serving in a correctional facility is employed, his entire income may be levied. But if the convicted person is not employed, the victim can only hope that the guilty person will have an income.

Criminal penalties for simple theft may include:

• fine up to 80 thousand rubles;
• a fine in the amount of six months' income of the thief;
• community service up to 360 hours;
• correctional labor for up to 1 year;
• imprisonment for up to 2 years;
• forced labor for up to 2 years;
• restriction of freedom up to 4 months.

Aggravating circumstances increase the penalty: the fine can reach up to 1 million rubles, and imprisonment can be up to 10 years.

The statute of limitations is the period of time during which an attacker can be held criminally liable, depending on the severity of the crime. For a minor crime it is 2 years. After this period, the suspect cannot be punished. If a crime is classified as a criminal offense of moderate severity, the person who committed it is held accountable for 6 years.

The statute of limitations for ordinary theft is 2 years, for theft under Part 2 of Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - 6 years, for large and especially large theft - 10 years.

Theft investigation is a multi-step process. First, you need to file a statement about the crime, facilitate the collection of evidence, evidence, and, if necessary, conduct an inventory. Then a plan is drawn up to find the suspects, and the search begins. After the suspect is detained, an interrogation with a search, interviews with witnesses and victims, and an inspection of the crime scene are carried out. An expert method is used to determine the method of committing the theft and the use of available tools. When the theft is discovered, the criminals are prosecuted under Art. 158 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

What is the liability for misappropriation of someone else's capital under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation?

For stealing other people's money, the offender faces criminal liability, which depends on the severity of the crime. Currently, the minimum limit for a criminal offense is 1000 rubles, and anything valued less than the established threshold is an administrative offense, which is also punishable by law.

The punishment imposed by the judge may be limited to fines or a decision in the form of imprisonment (depending on the presence/absence of mitigating/aggravating facts).

Signs that are taken into account when sentencing the accused:

1. A criminal act planned and committed in advance by a group of persons;
2. Taking someone else's property with illegal entry into private territory;
3. Theft committed on a large and especially large scale (significant amount - an amount of at least 2,500 rubles, large amount of damage - 250,000 rubles, especially large amount - 1,000,000 rubles);
4. As a result of taking possession of someone else's wealth, damage was caused to the victim;
5. Kidnapping committed by an organized group of persons.

Theft of funds from a bank card

Unauthorized withdrawal of money from someone else's bank card also falls under paragraph 158 of the Criminal Code (Part 2). If a counterfeit sample of a plastic form was made, then paragraph 187 of the Criminal Code is additionally applied.

There are several types of theft from bank cards:

• withdrawal from the account by obtaining secret codes;
• theft of the plastic card itself;
• using an Internet application;
• using spyware;
• others.

The qualifying characteristics of a criminal act are given in the table:

Hint: theft of an amount exceeding one million rubles is considered particularly large-scale (part 4 of Article 158 of the Criminal Code).

What to do if you find something missing

Theft from a card is now one of the most common types of crimes. The victim's action algorithm is as follows:

1. Immediately block the account by contacting the banking institution.
2. You should write a claim to financiers within 24 hours. Its essence is disagreement with the last transaction.
3. Write a statement to law enforcement agencies.
4. Go to court.

Attention: when visiting the bank, you should immediately order a certificate of the movement of funds in the account. The document will be required for the investigation. If the victim is located outside the Russian Federation, then it is also not recommended to hesitate. You must report the theft to the bank. This can be done by direct phone or via the Internet. By the way, you can also report theft to law enforcement officers by using the World Wide Web.

How to steal from a card

Often the person himself is to blame for the loss of money. Bank officials have developed strict instructions regarding account information. They do not recommend:

• transfer the card into the wrong hands;
• provide password information to other persons;
• use the services of outsiders when making payments.

Taking possession of information that allows you to manage someone else's electronic wallet is one of the components of the offense. Moreover, the future victim often becomes the culprit of such an act. In addition to physical media, money is now associated with electronic programs. Therefore, financiers do not recommend:

• use other people's gadgets to log into your personal account;
• remove antivirus programs from your computer;
• respond to letters asking for secret information;
• publish information about your account.

Attention: methods of fraud in the financial sector are varied. Most of the techniques are based on the gullibility and carelessness of bank clients.

Will the bank return the money?

The Civil Code contains provisions regarding the responsibility of banking institutions to clients. They are collected in chapter 45. Thus, in order to comply with the fourth paragraph of paragraph 445 of the Civil Code, a person can put forward demands to financiers for reimbursement of illegally withdrawn money.

But in order for financiers to satisfy him, they will have to collect evidence of the illegality of such an act. Moreover, the bank does not even recognize video footage from a surveillance camera as a valid reason for compensation. The best thing to do in this case is to contact the police. Proof of another person's guilt will be the basis for compensation.

Important: the application must be sent to the banking institution within 24 hours from the date of the transaction.

How to protect yourself from theft

To avoid becoming a victim of scammers, a person must exercise reasonable caution. The precautions are:

• do not share secret information about card codes and passwords with anyone;
• do not disseminate information about income;
• do not invite unfamiliar people home;
• use high-security locks;
• do not store or carry large amounts of money at home;
• Do not leave personal belongings and wallet unattended.

Tip: Internet banking users are advised to constantly use and regularly update anti-virus programs.

How to avoid becoming a victim of a pickpocket?

There is a set of simple rules, following which you will significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a pickpocket.

1. never carry money or valuables in the back pockets of your trousers;
2. keep your wallet and mobile phone in the inside pockets of your clothes, but if you do carry them in a bag or backpack (briefcase), then always double-check that all zippers and fasteners are closed;
3. when traveling on public transport, remove your backpack from your back and hold your bag (briefcase) with at least one hand in your field of vision;
4. be wary of strangers who are trying to distract you with something (for example, they suddenly throw themselves into your arms, suddenly begin to shake your back, obsessively offer something, etc.);
5. in cafes and restaurants, as well as in public transport, at train stations and airports, never leave your hand luggage or luggage unattended;
6. remove valuables and money from the pockets of outerwear when handing them over to the cloakroom;
7. Do not count money in front of strangers.

If a large sum of money or a particularly valuable item has been stolen from you, immediately contact the police and an experienced lawyer. Remember that in such cases, catching a pickpocket is not an easy task. Only a small percentage of pickpocketing is detected by law enforcement. The participation of a lawyer at the initial stages of the proceedings will help to find and record all possible evidence, as well as force the police to act in hot pursuit. Thanks to the qualified assistance of our lawyer, you will be able to return the stolen property and punish the thief according to his deserts.