A Kyiv woman was apprehended while attempting to steal branded items from Epicenter. The court has made a decision regarding the incident.

A woman at the Epicenter hypermarket took branded items from the shelves. She placed the goods in her backpack and headed toward the exit, but was stopped by security. This is mentioned in the ruling of the Darnytsia District Court of Kyiv, published on January 25, 2024.

On August 2, 2023, the woman in the “Epicenter” hypermarket took two pairs of pants and two sweaters from the New Balance brand, totaling 5,597 hryvnias. She hid the items in her backpack and, without paying, attempted to leave the premises but was halted by the security staff.

During the court session, the woman fully acknowledged her guilt and expressed sincere remorse for her actions. On August 2, 2023, she attempted to steal two pairs of pants and two sweaters from the “Epicenter” hypermarket, but was apprehended by the security personnel at the exit. She claimed that this was her first and last offense, promising not to engage in illegal activities again. She asked the court to consider that she has two minor children to care for and requested a chance to prove her rehabilitation without imprisonment.

What punishment did the court impose?

The court found the woman guilty of committing a criminal offense under part 2 of Article 15 and part 4 of Article 185 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced her to 5 years of imprisonment. Based on Article 75 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, she was released from serving her sentence under probation with a probationary period of 1 year and 10 months. She was placed under the following obligations according to Article 76 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• to periodically appear for registration at the authorized probation agency,
• to notify the authorized probation agency of any changes in her place of residence, work, or study,
• not to leave Ukraine without the approval of the authorized probation agency.