In the German city of Spaylingen, a 51-year-old local resident has been charged with stealing 40 liters of rainwater from her 38-year-old neighbor. According to the newspaper Die Welt, the incident occurred around 4 a.m. when the woman made two 'trips' to the rain barrel located on the neighbor's property, writes 'Glavcom'.
According to the official police press release, the suspect crossed the street twice with two buckets, filled them with rainwater, and even hid behind a garbage container when a car drove by. The total value of the stolen water, calculated by the police, amounts to only 15 euro cents.
New rules for using rainwater
As explained by law enforcement, despite the low value, this case falls under the article on theft. Under German law, water that ends up in a barrel becomes the property of its owner, and its illegal use is considered a crime.
By the way, since August 6, homeowners in some regions of France are required to officially declare the presence of large reserves of rainwater. The decision has been made against the backdrop of strict measures to protect resources. Residents of temporarily occupied Donetsk have had disputes over watering their gardens.
A case of rainwater theft has been discovered in Germany. Law enforcement emphasizes that even such minor violations of water resource ownership can have legal consequences.