Trio Used Tools Stolen from Fire Department for Attempted ATM Break-Ins in Vienna & Lower Austria

Investigations into the case have been ongoing since June. Two Serbian citizens with relevant previous convictions in Austria, aged 50 and 64, and a 45-year-old from Kosovo were identified. The men were caught on September 15 during an attempted burglary at a bank in Seebenstein (Neunkirchen district), arrested, and brought to the Korneuburg correctional facility on the orders of the public prosecutor's office. One of the accused has since made a comprehensive confession, while his alleged accomplices refused to testify.

Fire Department Tools Returned to the Helpers

The trio is believed to have thoroughly scouted potential targets. Later, they attempted to break into four ATMs in Lower Austria and Vienna using the battery-powered tools. "Due to alarm activations, police patrols passing by by chance, or passersby, the break-ins into the ATMs did not succeed," the executive reported on Thursday.

The accused are said to be responsible for a total damage of around 463,000 euros. In addition to three attempted ATM break-ins in Lower Austria and one in Vienna, the trio was also linked to a burglary at a beauty salon in the federal capital and at the fire station in Margarethen am Moos in the market town of Enzersdorf an der Fischa (Bruck an der Leitha district), where a battery rescue set worth around 40,000 was stolen. The return of the secured hydraulic devices to the volunteer fire department took place on (yesterday) Wednesday by State Police Director Franz Popp and Stefan Pfandler, the head of the Lower Austria State Criminal Office. "We are very pleased that the stolen equipment is back in our possession for its essential use, namely for rescuing people, and can be used appropriately," emphasized State Fire Commander Dietmar Fahrafellner.

As early as December 2024, the group of perpetrators is said to have committed a break-in at a fire station in Großenaspe near Hamburg. Hydraulic spreading devices associated with the coup were also secured and will be handed over to the Großenaspe fire department, it was emphasized.

(APA/Red.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.