27-year-old convicted over AI-forged car inspection sticker

A 27-year-old man has been convicted of document forgery and theft after using artificial intelligence to create a fake car inspection sticker, ORF reports. The Feldkirch Regional Court sentenced him on Thursday.

The man admitted creating the inspection sticker on a computer and attaching it to his car. He also admitted two shop thefts at a supermarket. He told the court he had been going through a difficult period in the summer, including drug withdrawal, hallucinations and delusions.

At first, he said he had stolen goods from the supermarket only once and had paid for everything on the other occasion. But the store manager told the court that surveillance footage showed him putting goods worth about 40 euros into a rucksack. Shown the footage by the judge, the man said he could not remember the incident.

He said he had lacked the money to have his car properly inspected and called the fake sticker a “stupid decision”. He expressed regret and promised to improve his behaviour.

The judge said she wanted to give him another chance despite his 11 previous convictions. He received a suspended 10-month prison sentence and a 6,000-euro fine. The man accepted the ruling, but it is not yet final because the prosecutor made no statement.