Robbery in Vienna-Brigittenau: 31-year-old arrested with Stanley knife!

Robbery in Vienna-Brigittenau: 31-year-old arrested with Stanley knife!

An incident that caused a stir in Vienna-Brigittenau occurred on January 19, 2026. A 31-year-old Austrian is suspected of committing a robbery in an electrical store. According to a report by 5min.at and a police press release, the man tried to put headphones in his jacket pocket without being noticed and leave the checkout area without paying. However, this did not go unnoticed.

Two alert store detectives eventually stopped the suspect in front of the store. What followed was an attempted escape in which the man tried with all his might to avoid being stopped. This led to a physical conflict between the detectives and the 31-year-old. To bring him under control, the detectives had to resort to physical strength. A Stanley knife was discovered on the accused, which further escalated the situation.

Arrest and legal action

After the incident, the man was temporarily arrested and, after being questioned at the police station, was released on the orders of the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office. The incident is in the context of a slightly increasing crime rate in Austria, which reached its highest level since 2016 with around 528,000 reported crimes in 2023. Over a third of these crimes, around 186,000, occurred in Vienna, as Statista reports.

In 2023, around 85,400 thefts were recorded in Austria, a record number. As the incident in Brigittenau shows, such thefts can quickly lead to dangerous situations. The police and store detectives demonstrated extreme vigilance in this situation, which led to a quick arrest. According to the same Statista study, 70% of Austrians believe that foreign immigrants exacerbate crime problems in Austria, an issue that is very present among the population.

The police clearance rate in 2023 will be around 52.3%. Confidence surveys reveal that 77% of Austrians trust the police. Nevertheless, the discussion about crime remains a hot topic, especially in urban areas like Vienna. This information highlights the importance of being vigilant and acting immediately when crimes are suspected to ensure public safety.

It remains to be seen whether this incident will have an impact on the perpetrators or the potential crime rate in Vienna-Brigittenau. In any case, the incident shows how important a quick reaction by security forces is to defuse such situations.

For more information on the background and current figures on crime in Austria, read the reports from 5min.at, the police and Statista.