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CRIME

Police protect killer from victim’s parents

A police crime scene reconstruction of the brutal ritual murder of a young woman in Saalfelden in Salzburg province descended into chaos on Monday after the victim’s parents tried to attack the suspect and police had to fight them off with pepper spray.

Published: 11 November 2014 15:33 CET
Police protect killer from victim's parents
Mirela was stabbed in this house. Photo: APA/Neumayr

Aleksander I., 21, was arrested on suspicion of murdering Mirela B. on October 9th.

He was taken back to his apartment – the scene of the murder –  by a convoy of armed police officers. As he left the building Mirela’s grief stricken parents and other relatives tried to push their way through to him.

“He took my Mirela, why are you protecting him,” her mother screamed out. The victim’s father tried to wrestle his way past police and only stopped when he was threatened with pepper spray.

Aleksander hid under his hoodie, and refused to speak during the reconstruction. "The accused was no longer willing to testify," police spokesman Marcus Neher told the Austrian Press Agency. “No one was hurt and no arrests were made,” he added.

According to a report from Austrian national broadcaster ORF, Mirela (20) had been raped, stabbed multiple times, and had Nazi symbols carved into her skin. Aleksander was found next to her body, in his bathroom, and confessed to the murder shortly after being arrested but did not say why he did it. 

There were also reports that he planned to dismember and eat parts of her body, but these have not been confirmed by police.

Aleksander is said to have been obsessed with “deviant thoughts” and spent a lot of time on Internet chat forums.

Some newspapers have reported that he and Mirela were in a relationship, but he has denied she was his girlfriend.

A date for the trial has not yet been set. 

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CRIME

Where in Austria is your bike most likely to be stolen?

Austria promotes green transport modes in its cities, offering plenty of bike paths and spots for cyclists to park - but bike theft is on the rise.

Published: 4 April 2024 13:48 CEST
Where in Austria is your bike most likely to be stolen?

The number of bicycle thefts in Austria rose last year for the first time since 2014 by ten percent to 18,566, according to the mobility organisation VCÖ.

Only in Vienna were fewer bicycles stolen in the previous year than in the year before that, and 60 percent of bicycle thefts occurred in the state capitals, the organisation added, citing data from the ministry of interior.

In relation to the population, Linz was the hotspot for bicycle thefts; according to the VCÖ, 63 bicycles were stolen per 10,000 inhabitants in Upper Austria’s capital. It was followed by the cities of Salzburg and Klagenfurt, with 52 and 49 bicycle thefts per 10,000 people, respectively.

READ ALSO: Which crimes are on the rise in Austria?

“Bicycles are also a popular means of accessing public transport. Secure and sufficient bicycle parking spaces are needed at train stations, subway stations and, in particular, at bus stops in the regions,” said VCÖ spokesperson Christian Gratzer. 

The organisation calls for secure parking spaces especially in highly frequented locations such as leisure facilities, shopping streets, sports facilities, universities and schools. 

Where are the thefts taking place?

In total, there were 18,566 bicycle thefts registered in Austria in 2023, an increase of 10.4 percent compared to the year before. Here are the numbers for each state:

  • Vienna: 6,328 (down 6.7 percent)
  • Lower Austria: 2,747 (up 28.1 percent)
  • Upper Austria: 2,682 (up 27.2 percent)
  • Salzburg: 1,284 (up 4.6 percent)
  • Tyrol: 1,254 (up 4.2 percent)
  • Styria: 1,908 (up 4.7 percent)
  • Carinthia: 897 (up 11.0 percent)
  • Vorarlberg: 984 (up 141.2 percent)
  • Burgenland: 482 (up 49.2 percent)

The numbers in the capitals are related to population size.

  • Linz: 1,328 (63 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Salzburg City: 813 (52 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Klagenfurt: 510 (49 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Innsbruck: 622 (47 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Graz: 1,176 (39 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Vienna: 6,328 (32 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • St. Pölten: 180 (31 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Eisenstadt: 30 (19 bicycle thefts / 10,000 inhabitants)
  • Bregenz district: 331 bicycle thefts (24 bicycle thefts / 10,000 population)

READ ALSO: Which parts of Austria have the highest crime rates?

How can you minimise risks?

Bike theft is a public issue, and governments are responsible for making the cities and states safer for cyclists. But you can also minimise the risks of getting your bike stolen, according to the VCÖ.

The organisation highlights the importance of always locking your parked bike, even if you only go into a store briefly. When locking up, ensure the frame and lock are attached to a bicycle bracket.

“If only the front wheel is attached to the bike stand, there is a risk that the bike will be removed and the rest of the bike stolen,” explains VCÖ spokesperson Gratzer. Replace the quick release on the saddle and front wheel with safety bolts and use a high-quality bicycle lock.

Even though few bike theft cases are solved in Austria (the “clearance rate” remains low at 9.3 percent), the VCÖ recommends riders note the bike’s frame number so that any recovered bikes can be handed over to the owner more easily.

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