Teen Gang Outsmarts Vienna Police: Already Committed 1,200 Burglaries

The exposure by the police has apparently not deterred a children's and youth gang in Eastern Austria from continuing their criminal activities. Last April, the Vienna police announced that the gang had been largely investigated and that the suspects had been proven to have committed 500 crimes. Meanwhile, the suspects are now accused of around 1,200 crimes in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland.

44 Children and Adolescents Responsible for 1,200 Crimes

The total damage was estimated by police spokeswoman Julia Schick at almost 500,000 euros. The suspects are therefore 44 partly underage minors. They are believed to have committed burglaries in different constellations from autumn 2023 to early December 2024. A significant proportion of the crimes were car burglaries, in which they usually smash the triangular window with an emergency hammer and loot the car interior.

About three-quarters of the crimes were car burglaries, with the perpetrators particularly targeting taxis. According to a report by the "Kurier" on Christmas Day, the guild plans to provide aid funds for affected operators.

Vienna Police Have Already Caught Several Suspects

Last April, the balance of the investigating West branch of the State Criminal Police Office was that 500 crimes, including 350 car burglaries, were attributed to the gang. 24 suspects between the ages of twelve and seventeen had been investigated. Since then, a lot has been added: In June and July, around 130 more burglaries were committed, again mainly by smashing the triangular window in Floridsdorf, Donaustadt, Liesing, and Hernals. The investigators identified two 13-year-olds, one Serbian, the other Slovakian, in this context. The two confessed to a large number of car burglaries and also named accomplices.

Also in June and July, the police caught several suspects, aged 14 and 15. The Syrian, Russian, Slovakian, and Serbian citizens were partly caught red-handed and brought to a prison on the orders of the public prosecutor's office as repeat offenders.

Since Autumn, Gang Also Breaking into Shops

According to Schick, the police have also registered an increase in shop burglaries since the end of October. Due to the modus operandi, the police also suspect the children's and youth gang as the perpetrators in this case. Among other things, emergency hammers are also used in the shop burglaries.

(APA/Red)

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