The 42-year-old warehouse worker from Serbia was sentenced to 13 months' imprisonment on probation earlier this year, after his DNA was reportedly found at the scene of a break-in.
Whoever's DNA was found at the crime scenes, he bored holes in patio doors to break into numerous houses and apartments, investigators report – and twice made away with goods worth around €4,000.
During the trial, the prosecution dismissed claims that the man had a twin as absurd – but three weeks later, the Serbian Consul General confirmed the man's claim.
His identical twin brother lives in Serbia.
Now the case will go before the North Rhine-Westphalia state court to determine whether the conviction is unsound.
Differentiating between identical twins' DNA is a challenge for scientists, reports Rheinischer Post.
Only one institute in Germany is able to carry out the complex procedure – and with expected costs of around €60,000, the court must decide whether to commission this expensive analysis or not.
But as the Düsseldorf twin also faces a trial for several charges of fraud in a different court which does not rely on DNA evidence, he would likely not walk free even if the first conviction is lifted.
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