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CRIME

Austrian Post van robbery was faked

The driver of an Austrian Post cash delivery van, who reported being robbed and handcuffed in his vehicle in Vienna earlier in August faked the robbery together with an ex-boyfriend, police have said.

Austrian Post van robbery was faked
Police released this image of the suspect. Photo: APA/Police

The deputy head of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Colonel Michael Mimra, and Lieutenant Robert Klug told a press conference on Wednesday that the 37-year-old driver was bound and gagged by a friend, who then made off with the cash in the district of Brigittenau.

The post office employee had been collecting money from supermarket branches and should have taken it back to the Austrian Post headquarters. However, after visiting five supermarkets he was able to open the case of money without triggering an alarm.

The cash amounted to around half a million euros. But instead of sharing it as agreed with the driver, his accomplice made off with it and flew immediately to Turkey. Police have issued an international arrest warrant for him.

The driver eventually confessed to the police when he realised his friend wasn’t coming back, and he was then arrested. He spoke to his partner in crime on his mobile phone as the police arrested him. Robert Klug said the man’s response had been: “Catch me if you can but I’m planning to live the good life in Turkey with the money.”

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CRIME

Austria investigates 17 teens for alleged sexual abuse of girl

Austrian authorities on Friday said they were investigating 17 teenagers - including 12 minors - over the alleged months-long sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl in Vienna last year.

Austria investigates 17 teens for alleged sexual abuse of girl

The alleged offences took place in a disadvantaged area of the capital’s south “between February and June 2023, in toilets, garages, a hotel and in the perpetrators’ homes”, Florian Finda, deputy director of the Vienna police, told a news conference.

The suspects in the rare case – most of whom are aged between 14 and 18 – are of Bulgarian, Italian, Serbian, Syrian and Turkish origin.

Two of them are under 14 and therefore below Austria’s age of criminal responsibility.

The suspects – almost all of whom were known to police for other offences – are accused of serious sexual abuse of a minor, including the pornographic depiction of the abuse of a minor.

Thirteen suspects were questioned on Thursday, with some of them partially denying the allegations.

The suspects and the Austrian victim met through one of the accused, with whom the then 12-year-old is said to have made out with.

She was then introduced to the rest of the group.

The boys allegedly exchanged videos and photos of the abuse via social networks including WhatsApp chats, with one of them allegedly threatening to share the pornographic material.

According to the police, none of the material was made available to the wider public.

In October, the young girl, now 13, informed her mother, who subsequently filed a complaint.

The ongoing investigation is due to be transferred to the public prosecutor’s office.

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