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.