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Four boys on a burglary spree: Police arrest teen gang in Währing!
Four young people were arrested on January 20, 2026 in Vienna-Währing while attempting to break into a shop.
Four boys on a burglary spree: Police arrest teen gang in Währing!
On the night of Thursday to Friday there was an attempted break-in at a business premises on Semperstrasse in the 18th district of Vienna-Währing at around 12:10 a.m. A group of four young boys, including an 11-year-old and two 14-year-olds, wanted to break the shop window with an emergency hammer to get into the shop. The young perpetrators, with nationalities from Syria, Afghanistan and Austria, were presumably looking around the area when they were discovered by the police. Officers from the Schulgasse police station and other district colleagues were alerted and immediately went to the scene after witnesses reported the incident. According to vienna.at, the police encountered the fleeing young people who were heading towards a nearby park.
After a short pursuit, the four boys were finally stopped. The officers found the emergency hammer on a 14-year-old who had North African citizenship. This was secured because it was obviously intended to carry out the break-in. While the two suspects who were under criminal responsibility were temporarily arrested, the young people under criminal responsibility, including the 11-year-old, were placed in the care of their parents. The current status of the investigation is being continued by the Vienna State Criminal Police Office, West branch, as 5min.at reports.
The background and consequences of the incident
Youth delinquency seems to be a recurring theme in Vienna. This particular case shows that very young perpetrators are also involved in crime. The youngest of them, an 11-year-old, raises questions about the influence of social environment and upbringing. To what extent living conditions contribute to children ending up in such dangerous situations remains an important topic of discussion.
The police responded quickly and decisively, which indicates a well-functioning communication structure within the police force. Such operations illustrate how important the protective hand of law enforcement is to ensure the safety of the population. Given the incidents, more intensive prevention work in schools and communities may be necessary to protect children from such a path.
Overall, this incident makes it clear that even in quiet residential areas like Vienna-Währing, everything is not always well. Attempted break-ins by young people are a sign that there is a need for action, both at the level of parents and educators as well as in the neighborhood. The coming days will show what will happen with the criminal consequences for the two suspected young people, while the investigations by the LKA Vienna continue.