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Armed robber turns out to be victim’s own son

Police in Vienna have arrested an 18-year-old man who together with a friend robbed his own mother during an armed burglary in January.

Published: 3 February 2017 12:20 CET

Armed robber turns out to be victim's own son

Photo: Paul Gillingwater

The 18-year-old and his 23-year-old friend were masked and armed with what appeared to be pistols when they rang the doorbell of the woman’s apartment at around 1.30pm on January 12th in the Donaustadt district.

When the 35-year-old woman opened the door they pushed their way into the apartment, ignoring her screams. The woman grabbed the younger man and tried to push him out of the door and they both fell to the ground during the struggle. Meanwhile the 23-year-old man snatched an inexpensive decorative sword from off the wall, and then both of the men fled.

Police spokesman Patrick Maierhofer said that the woman had suspicions that her son was involved and this was confirmed during the investigation. The 18-year-old was arrested eight days later and the 23-year-old was arrested on February 2nd.

“Both men have a guilty conscience and confessed to everything immediately,” Maierhofer said. The men said they planned to steal money from the woman’s apartment. It’s not clear if they had real guns or replicas, as the weapons have not yet been found. The older man couldn’t explain why he had grabbed the sword, and told police that he was drunk at the time.

Both men are now in police custody.

UPDATED: Vienna police investigating possible 'threat' to Donau Zentrum shopping centre

The Vienna police confirmed they are investigating a non-specified threat to the Donau Zentrum shopping centre, located in the Austrian capital’s 22nd district, a spokesperson told The Local.

On Monday, pictures of an alleged internal document sent by the shopping centre to tenants circulated on social media and messaging apps. The document stated there was a “threat against the Westfield Donau Zentrum for April 30, 2024”. It stated that the authorities had been working to identify suspects since yesterday.

“The source of the threat is a photo circulating online”, the statement said without giving further details. “If we receive additional information or specifications, we will immediately inform you”, it added.

“There is currently no reason for you as an employee to worry as we are strictly following police guidelines”, the document said. It was signed by a manager of the shopping centre. The Local reached out to Donau Zentrum media representatives, who confirmed a threat against the centre.

“The Center Management of Westfield Donau Zentrum can confirm a threat against the center and is in ongoing communication with the relevant authorities. We are taking the situation seriously. The safety of everyone in the center is our top priority. After coordination with the authorities, the center will be open as usual today”, they said.

The Vienna police confirmed the veracity of the statement and added, “We are aware of the matter and are investigating,” they replied after an inquiry on their official social media channels. The Local reached out to the press office for further clarification but has not yet received a response.

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