Five robberies this year

Instead of tobacco shops, the elderly are now being targeted

Police operation in Salzburg-Aigen on February 21 following a robbery(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

Once again, an elderly person has fallen victim to a robbery—again in their own home. This time, an 87-year-old woman was targeted by criminals in her home in Salzburg-Taxham. It is already the fifth robbery of this kind in the state. How can you protect yourself? 

At the age of 87, a woman from Salzburg had to endure a nightmare over the weekend: Robbers attacked the woman on Saturday near her home in the Taxham district of Salzburg. The police could not yet say exactly what happened—citing the pending interview with the elderly woman, as she was still in the hospital. The elderly woman is believed to have spent the night from Saturday to Sunday injured in the entryway of her home. She was unable to call for help. Friends found the 87-year-old after she failed to show up for a meeting.

Five home invasions
What is particularly striking this year: Robbers are targeting defenseless seniors living alone. The era of robberies at banks, tobacco shops, or gas stations seems to be over—only a single robbery at a betting shop in January made headlines this year. In contrast, there have already been five robberies this year alone—including the current case—of elderly people inside or in front of their own homes.

Just last Thursday, a Romanian couple attempted to rob a 97-year-old woman. But the woman reacted perfectly: she screamed for help and pressed the emergency button. Both Romanians (48, 43) were arrested. In mid-May, a robbery victim (66) reacted with quick thinking: She was taking out the trash when a perpetrator pushed her back into her home and pulled out a gun. The woman managed to lock the man out. He fled.

Three criminal tourists sentenced
On February 21, a Syrian man (23) followed a pensioner (86) to her home in Aigen. There, he struck her, snatched her handbag, and fled. The police arrested him. Three Hungarians (44, 31, 19), who snatched a gold necklace from an 80-year-old woman’s neck in front of her home in mid-February, were sentenced in April to prison terms ranging from ten to three years. Notably, they traveled to the country specifically to commit crimes.

The goal is to make it as difficult as possible for perpetrators to break into your home. Also important: always have a cell phone within reach.

Valerie Bachler von der Polizei gibt Tipps

But how can you protect yourself? According to the police, it’s important to prevent perpetrators from entering the home—a door chain or an intercom system with a peephole can help. And: Always carry a cell phone for emergency calls, the officers advise.

It’s best to save emergency numbers as contacts right away. At night, windows shouldn’t be left open too wide so that perpetrators can’t easily climb in.