A trio of Hungarian nationals has been taken into custody after a months-long crime wave that spanned four Austrian states and left a trail of burglaries, reckless escapes, and tense police chases, according to Puls 24.
Investigators say the suspects—ages 20, 29, and 30—carried out 39 offenses between January 9 and April 15. The charges range from company, museum, and vehicle break-ins to the misuse of cashless payment methods, coercion, and even violent resistance against authorities, according to the Lower Austria State Police Directorate.
The eldest suspect was arrested in mid-April in Fischamend, Bruck an der Leitha district. The 29-year-old was already behind bars in Eisenstadt prison when identified as part of the group. The youngest, wanted under a European arrest warrant, was captured in Hungary last Friday. Police confirmed that the two older men confessed to the crimes during interrogations in Korneuburg prison.
Authorities described several incidents as especially dangerous. On March 29, after breaking into a company in Gramatneusiedl, the 20- and 30-year-old attempted to flee by car. Officers and even the company’s manager had to throw themselves out of the way to avoid being hit.
Another episode unfolded the night of April 7 in Strasshof an der Nordbahn, where the same two suspects allegedly prepared for another burglary. Their flight ended in disaster when their vehicle overturned in a roundabout in Gänserndorf. Remarkably, both men escaped unscathed—and, lacking sufficient evidence at the time, without charges.
The trio’s arrest brings an end to a spree that combined petty theft with moments of peril, testing both police resolve and public safety. Officials say the investigation highlights not only the risks posed by mobile criminal groups but also the necessity of close cooperation between Austrian and international law enforcement.
