Young people caught in the act: police arrest burglars!

Young people caught in the act: police arrest burglars!

On the night of July 9, 2025, around 9:45 p.m., the police in Vienna's 23rd district (Liesing) were called to a burglary in a workshop. Witnesses reported a group of five young people who had climbed over a fence and were tampering with two parked cars in the workshop's courtyard. When the teenagers realized they were being watched, they fled.

However, the police were quickly on the scene and were able to arrest four of the suspects nearby. The people arrested include three 16-year-old boys from Austria, Syria and Serbia, as well as a 17-year-old girl from Austria. The fifth suspect initially remained on the run and is still being sought by investigators. A witness alerted the police after seeing the group ransacking a vehicle. It was not initially possible to clarify whether the young people had stolen goods with them, but the officers found some items that could have come from the vehicle, as well as evidence of possible alcohol abuse among the suspects, which prevented immediate questioning.

Focus on juvenile crime

The incidents surrounding the workshop break-in shed light on the rising rates of youth crime, which is an issue not only in Vienna but also in other European countries. A report shows that youth violence in Germany reached a peak in 2024, with around 13,800 cases, which is more than twice as high as in 2016. Work is also being done on various factors that lead to this increase, including psychological stress caused by the Corona measures. In comparison, the total number of young suspects fell by around 6 percent to around 452,000 cases, but the proportion of men among those convicted remained high - almost three quarters of the suspects are male.

Social backgrounds, hormonal changes and acquired behavior are often cited as reasons for young people's risky behavior. A discussion about the effectiveness of harsher punishments and the need for preventative measures is therefore more relevant than ever. Concepts to better support children and young people could help prevent them from falling into criminal paths.

The incident in Vienna is another warning sign that shows that it is important to take action to combat crime among young people. As authorities continue to try to manage the situation, how to deter youth from such a path is a challenge that needs to be discussed at both local and national levels.

This incident could have far-reaching consequences for the five young people, especially for the two 16-year-olds who have already been in trouble with the law. As a result of the arrest and the associated investigations, crime statistics will probably continue to determine the extent to which juvenile crime will develop in the coming months.

For up-to-date information on this incident and a comprehensive look at the development of juvenile crime in Europe, we refer to detailed reports from 5min and vol.at, as well as the comprehensive analyzes of Statista.