Banská Bystrica
First triplets born in the third millenium
A 38 year-old woman gave birth to Slovakia's first triplets of the new millennium on January 7 at 6.30 a.m. in a hospital in Banská Bystrica .
Patrik, Matúš a Petra weighed 2.43 kilogrammes, 2.21 kilogrammes and 2,46 kilogrammes respectively, and were reported healthy by doctors.
A day later, the babies and their mother were visited by President Rudolf Schuster and Banská Bystrica Mayor Ján Králik, who gave the family 26,000 crowns ($570).
In Slovakia, one in 10,000 births results in triplets. During the last ten years an average of six sets of triplets were born per year.
Košice
Thief attempts to steal wires, is heavily burnt
A 17 year-old man from Košice suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns on Thursday, January 4 after illegally entering the firm Komag and attempting to steal high voltage electrical wires .
According to hospital staff, he is currently in serious shock, and his recovery will last a minimum of three months.
Komag representatives told the media that their company had been robbed several times in recent years with losses in excess of 1.5 million crowns ($32,000).
Malacky
Racing Horses on Bratislava-Brno Highway
Drivers on the Bratislava-Brno (Czech Republic) highway had an unusual sight on the afternoon of January 5. At around 6 p.m., 5 racing horses escaped from an enclosure in Veľké Leváre in the Malacky district made it to the highway.
Police were able to get the horses off the highway by herding them into a motorest in Závod. No car accidents were reported that afternoon. Drivers were warned about the horses by several radio stations.
Bánovce nad Bebravou
Protected falcon stolen from aviary
An unknown thief stole a rare falcon from a private aviary in Bánovce nad Bebravou during the night of January 9. The legally-owned falcon was registered with the Milotovice breeding house, and according to the owner was worth 45,000 crowns ($980).
The migratory falcon is among Slovakia's list of protected birds.
Krajné
Woman caught producing home-made hard alcohol
Prosecutors charged a 55 year-old woman from Krajné in the Myjava district for illegally producing spirits. Local police found that the woman had been regularly producing hard alcohol since 1998 in her garage. The woman faces one year in prison or a fine and confiscation of the equipment.
Bratislava
Brutal double murder of retired couple
Within 24 hours Bratislava police had solved the brutal murder of 64 year-old Ladislav N. and his 60 year-old partner Mária D., who were found in their flat on Bratislava's Dostojevského rad street on January 5.
Late in the night, a neighbour had reported to the police that water was leaking from their flat and that nobody was answering the door. Police broke into the flat and found Ladislav N. lying in his bath tube with his face cut and his hands tied behind his back with an electric cable. Mária D lay nearby with multiple lacerations to her body and face.
One day later the police arrested 32 year-old Stanislav C. from Bratislava, who confessed to the murder. The motive for the brutal act was apparently long-term quarrels between the retired couple and Stanislav C., who now faces 12 to 15 years in prison.
Skalica
Smuggling ring caught with 29 refugees in car
An organised ring of five smugglers was caught on Sunday January 7 heading for the Czech border with a truckload of refugees.
According to the Police Presidium, 42 year-old Štefan C. picked up 13 Vietnamese refugees at around 2 p.m. in the village of Hontianske Tesáre and transported them to Bratislava, where he picked up an aditional 16 refugees from India, Nepal, and Pakistan and several companions.
From Bratislava the group headed to Holíč (near the Czech and Slovak border) where they changed cars. Minutes later the group was stopped by police near the Czech border.
According to police, some of the refugees were attempting to cross the border for the second time. The five Slovaks directly involved were arrested and charged with attempting to illegally cross a border.
Group mastermind Slavomír T. was also arrested, although he did not take part in the incident.
Trnava
Pigeon destroyspolice siren
A pigeon ignored Slovak traffic law when it failed to yield right of way to a flashing police siren in the village of Šlepice near Trnava. Police reported damage of 10,000 crowns ($220) after the bird crashed into a flashing siren mounted on one of their cars. It is not known whether the pigeon survived, but a police spokesman said it was unlikely that the bird would mount a similar attack in the future.
Handlová
Poachers kill three deer
Handlová criminologists are trying to identify the criminal or criminals who shot three deer on January 4 in local forests.
A four year-old deer, three year-old stag and a one year-old roe were found dead by a local hunter. If the offenders are caught, they could face a jail sentences of as much as two years.
Púchov
Train cuts man'sleg off
On January 10 a 20 year-old man from Púchov lost his leg below his knee after being hit by a coal train as he tried to cross a rail track.
The train driver only discovered what had happened when the train stopped in Púchov train station. The victim was taken to hospital and before the operation confessed to the doctor that he had had 5 beers that night.
The incident is the second accident this year in which men where seriously injured by trains through their own negligence. Railway Police said that there had been two death already this year involving trains.
Trenčín
Graffiti vandals caught
Three young vandals were apprehended by the Trenčín Train Police (ŽP) at the beginning of the second week of the year.
Police said that the youths from Púchov, aged 17 and 18, had defaced a passenger wagon parked at a Trenčín train station last year in July.
According to ŽP spokesman Jozef Búranský, the young graffiti artists caused damage of 18,000 crowns ($400). The two teenagers confessed to their crime.
Compiled by
Martina Pisárová
