A 22-year-old man was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday at the Klagenfurt Regional Court for a failed bank robbery in Villach using a fake bomb.

“We are dealing with a serious crime,” explained the presiding judge, Michaela Sanin, as she justified the prison sentence.

The defendant – a Syrian national – had no prior criminal record and had made a full confession.

Robbery Attempt Goes Wrong

The incident took place on 8 November. Dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask, the then 21-year-old walked straight to a service counter, handing staff a note which warned that a bomb would detonate within a minute if he was not given cash.

To make the threat more convincing, he lifted his jumper, revealing a black box strapped to his stomach with wires attached. The device was a fake – cobbled together from a headphone cable and a laptop charger.

However, the bank counter had no cash, forcing him to demand that an ATM in the foyer be opened. When staff told him the process would take around five minutes, he panicked and fled the scene.

Police launched a high-profile search, releasing CCTV images of the suspect. Under growing pressure, he handed himself in over the Christmas period.

Lavish Lifestyle Led to Financial Trouble

Defence lawyer Hans Gradischnig said his client had been struggling financially after recklessly spending €40,000 of his family’s money.

The man, who arrived in Carinthia with his family in 2015 and attended school there, had rented a Lamborghini, thrown lavish parties and splashed out on designer clothing. When the money ran out, he saw robbery as his only option.

Gradischnig said the man deeply regretted his actions and had never intended to harm anyone.