With a police helicopter

Thieving Czech Duo Arrested in Cornfield

When the criminals heard the whirring of the rotors, they gave up.(Bild: Handler Wolfgang)

A trio of Czech nationals had specialized in burglaries and thefts in the border region. Two of the suspects were arrested. They had been hiding in a cornfield in Reichenthal and only gave up when the police helicopter began circling overhead.

Three Czech nationals are suspected of having repeatedly entered Austria from the Czech Republic since May 2026 to commit thefts and burglaries in the Austrian border region. The suspects are a 28-year-old, a 34-year-old, and a 26-year-old Czech national.

Stolen goods were sold off in the Czech Republic
The trio is suspected of entering Austria primarily by motorcycle or car and of committing various thefts and burglaries in the border region. The stolen goods were then reportedly loaded into the vehicles they were traveling in and taken to the Czech Republic, where the loot is believed to have been sold. The financial loss resulting from the crimes is in the low five-digit range.

Motorcycle, Moped, and Motocross Bike Stolen
Intensive investigations also revealed that the suspects are alleged to have stolen, among other things, a motorcycle, a moped, and a motocross bike. One of the stolen vehicles was abandoned in a field in Reichenthal following a theft. On July 23, 2026, around 1:00 p.m., the 34-year-old and the 28-year-old intended to retrieve the motorcycle they had previously left in the field. To do so, they drove to the location in a car with a trailer.

A neighbor called the police
A resident noticed the suspicious behavior and alerted the police. As the two men were leaving the scene in the car, they were spotted by a police patrol. The two men then fled in the vehicle and continued on foot into an adjacent cornfield. The cornfield was surrounded by police officers. In addition to several police patrols, a police helicopter and a police dog were deployed to assist with the search.

One of the suspects was wearing an ankle monitor
After the police helicopter was deployed over the cornfield, the two men finally surrendered to the police. The 34-year-old and the 28-year-old were subsequently arrested and, following consultation with the Linz District Attorney’s Office, transferred to the Linz Correctional Facility. At the time of the crime, the 28-year-old was wearing an electronic ankle monitor issued by the Czech judicial system.