Shows no remorse

“Baby gang” robbed hundreds of cabs

In Vienna and the surrounding area, 24 young people broke into cabs, houses and vending machines. Among other things, they stole headphones and pennies.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Landespolizeidirektion Wien)

24 teenagers (aged 12 to 17) broke into cabs, houses and vending machines - 300,000 euros in damage! They show no remorse for the 500 crimes. 

An unprecedented series of crimes has kept Viennese cab drivers in particular on their toes since the fall. Up to and including the end of April, the windows of more than 300 cabs were smashed with emergency hammers. Everything of any value was missing, from pennies and headphones to perfume and cards.

Investigators from the Vienna State Criminal Police Office (LKA), Western Branch, have now tracked down a very young gang. The 20 boys and four girls, most of whom are housed in institutions and not with their parents, showed a surprisingly high propensity for crime. Some of them are only 12 years old, the oldest suspect is 17. The nationalities: a colorful mix.

Make Gehma TX.

Die Bande untereinander

School broken into
The eight Austrians - the rest are from Afghanistan, Chechnya, Syria, Serbia, Slovakia and Tunisia - roamed all the districts of Vienna and the surrounding area in Lower Austria in different groups. Always on the lookout for something that can be cracked. "Gehma TX machen", they said in the news - alluding to the license plates. Most of them were cars (350), the rest were stores, vending machines - and a school.

A 14-year-old gave a wild chase
According to Martin Benzca from the LKA, members of the gang were caught red-handed seven times. Seven youngsters were caught in burglaries on March 27, for example, and six - one 14-year-old (!) was at the wheel - were involved in a chase with the police at 180 kilometers per hour south of Vienna just last week. The criminal energy knew no bounds. One 13-year-old stabbed another in the thigh several times at Reumannplatz. And firecrackers were bought in the Czech Republic and thrown at cars on the A23 from a bridge.

Although the accused confessed, there was no admission of responsibility for the damage (300,000 euros). Two 14-year-olds and one 17-year-old are in custody. The rest of the gang is still active. On Monday, another twelve cabs were broken into in Vienna.