Shoppers leaving their cars at stores that offer customers free parking do so at their own risk, according to a Supreme Court ruling made public yesterday which said that in the event of theft, there will be no compensation paid.

The court ruled that a man from Patras could not claim damages from a store after his cash card and PIN number were stolen from his vehicle on the grounds that the retailer is not obliged to guard the parking area. The thieves withdrew 1,200 euros from the man’s account.

There is no contract between the storeowner and the driver concerning the safety of the car, the court said. Signs in the parking lot saying that the area is not protected mean that such compensation claims cannot be made, the court added in its decision, which reverses a previous ruling made by a Court of First Instance in favor of the driver.