Brutal street robbery in Vienna: Brave man catches perpetrator on the train!

Brutal street robbery in Vienna: Brave man catches perpetrator on the train!

On Friday evening, a brutal attack took place at Franz-Josefs-Kai in Vienna, which agitated the minds of local residents. A 36-year-old was attacked from behind by four perpetrators. The attackers punched and kicked the man before using force to steal his cell phone again. Despite his minor injuries, the 36-year-old did not remain idle and gave chase when the perpetrators fled into a tram that had just stopped at Schwedenplatz. He finally managed to pull one of the criminals, a 32-year-old from Libya, off the tram, but the attack took a dangerous turn: During the scuffle, he was threatened with a knife by the other perpetrators. Shortly afterwards, the attackers fled when alert witnesses informed the police. The arrested suspect is now waiting in police custody to be legally assessed for aggravated robbery and multiple document suppression, while the Vienna State Criminal Police Office is leading the investigation. Information about this is welcome either anonymously on 01-31310-62800 or at any police station.

Another attack shakes Vienna

The incident is not isolated: on June 23, 2025, an 82-year-old woman with walking difficulties was the victim of a violent robbery in Vienna-Wieden. The perpetrator tore off a necklace with full force and pushed her to the ground, which also injured the elderly woman. The suspected robber fled towards Naschmarkt on a black scooter with a pink fork. The police are now looking for witnesses who can provide information about the perpetrator, whose description ranges from a 25 to 35 year old man with medium build and short black hair. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the State Criminal Police Office at 01-31310-43220 or 01-31310-43800.

Crime in Vienna

These incidents highlight a worrying phenomenon: crime in Austria has increased again. In 2023, around 528,000 crimes were reported, the highest number since 2016. The situation is particularly tense in Vienna: over a third of the reported crimes, around 186,000, occur in the federal capital. The most common crimes are theft, with around 85,400 cases, and drug crimes, which accounted for around 35,400 crimes in the same year.

The population's concerns are high: according to surveys, around 70% of Austrians believe that immigrants are making the problems with crime worse. Over 43% of suspects and convicts in 2022 were foreigners. These worrying statistics are accompanied by increasing police density and a clearance rate of 52.3% in 2023. This shows that although the authorities are becoming more active, the need for action remains great.

The Vienna police appeal to citizens to be vigilant and to report any incidents immediately. Only together can we ensure that our city remains a safe place. Any information is important for clues about the attacks, especially the crime against the 82-year-old.