Four young men are on trial in Glarus, Switzerland, accused of robbery after allegedly luring a 67-year-old man into a trap on January 20, 2024. The case began Wednesday at the Glarus Cantonal Court.
According to the indictment, one of the defendants, a 20-year-old student, used the online platform “Romeo” – a site known for bi- and gay-oriented encounters – to pose as a 14-year-old under the pseudonym “Longhorn.” He arranged a meeting with the Glarner for 8:30 PM on January 20th in Haldenstein, Graubünden, ostensibly for sexual activity. The victim arrived at the designated location but found no one waiting.
The indictment states that the group then tracked down the Glarner using his vehicle’s license plate to determine his address. A total of five individuals, including one who was a minor at the time, then proceeded to the victim’s home with the intent to confront him, intimidate him, and steal his money.
Upon arriving at the Glarner’s residence, the men allegedly wore balaclavas, gloves, and carried batons. They entered the house with the victim and began recording the encounter with a mobile phone. They reportedly threatened to harm him or his daughters if he contacted the police, and demanded cash and his SIM card. The Glarner complied, handing over an unspecified amount of money and his SIM.
The group then searched the house, discovering a cash box, a gold vreneli (a Swiss gold coin), a Japanese katana, a Samsung tablet, and a leather jacket, which they also stole.
The four adult defendants are charged with robbery, extortionate robbery, coercion, attempted coercion, and violations of the Swiss weapons law. The prosecution will present its requests during the main hearing. All four accused were held in pre-trial detention for periods ranging from one day to one week.
The driver of the getaway vehicle received 100 Swiss francs as compensation for transport, described by the defense attorney as “expenses.” The defense attorney for one of the accused is seeking his client’s acquittal and 1,000 Swiss francs in compensation for the three days spent in pre-trial detention.
The trial began at 8:00 AM on Wednesday.
