Viennese Pharmacies Increasingly Targeted by Teenage Burglars
According to police spokeswoman Michaela Rossmann, the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) is also conducting investigations regarding the pharmacy burglaries. The suspects are minors and youths who have so far only stolen cash from the registers. No medications have been stolen so far. There is close communication with the Chamber of Pharmacists to raise awareness among those affected.
Chamber of Pharmacists warns members about juvenile burglars
The chamber warned that pharmacies may increasingly be targeted by the perpetrators because they have now learned how to break in or force open automatic sliding doors. Since the burglars have so far only been interested in money, the interest group recommended emptying the cash drawers completely in the evening and leaving them open to show that they are empty. "The property damage is naturally much higher than the amount of cash stolen," wrote the chamber.
Juvenile burglars increasingly targeting Vienna pharmacies
The youth gang in Vienna is estimated by the police to have about 60 to 70 members, with "20 to 30 of them appearing to be active" in the districts affected by pharmacy burglaries, according to the interest group. "They are mostly (partially) masked, but not always." There is already a closer circle of suspects. The LKA is investigating a children's and youth gang that is said to have committed around 1,200 crimes, mainly burglaries in cars and shops, from autumn 2023 to early December 2024. The pharmacy burglaries could or are likely to be largely attributed to this often still criminally irresponsible gang.
Safety for night services in Vienna pharmacies a priority
To defuse this problem as quickly as possible, "measures such as increasing police presence during night hours" are being examined in cooperation with the responsible authorities, wrote the Chamber of Pharmacists. "Our top priority is to increase the safety of our colleagues during on-call services." They are in constant contact with Health Councillor Peter Hacker (SPÖ). Additionally, there is a meeting between Vienna pharmacy representatives and State Police President Gerhard Pürstl. The further course of action is to be discussed there.
(APA/Red)
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