Thanks to intensive cooperation between police officers from the district of Vöcklabruck in Upper Austria and officials from the LKA Salzburg, a gang of six young people aged between 12 and 17 was identified. Between January 23 and February 11, the sextet is said to have used six vehicles without authorization and committed thefts from unlocked cars, burglaries and the suppression of documents. In total, more than 40 criminal offenses in the district of Vöcklabruck could be proven against the gang in this period alone.
The suspected young people (all from the state of Salzburg) drove from Salzburg to the district of Vöcklabruck and tried in different constellations at different locations to see whether parked cars were unlocked. If so, the cars were searched and cash and other valuables stored in them were stolen. They are said to have bought cigarettes, among other things, with ATM cards that were also stolen. The young people then used this for spray rides. Although none of those involved had a valid driver’s license, the stolen cars were driven across Upper Austria and Salzburg. Some of them were wrecked or simply left behind somewhere because of empty fuel tanks. Hardly any sense of wrongdoing. However, new vehicles were subsequently spied out, searched and used for spray drives. Over time, the gang of young people had already been targeted by the investigators, but without any sense of wrongdoing, the crimes were apparently unabashedly continued – partly because they were not criminally responsible. However, one of the accused finally confessed to all crimes in the Vöcklabruck district and also confirmed the involvement of the others.Other crimes determinedAs the investigations revealed, the gang is said to have committed other similar crimes at least in the Salzburg area and in the Gmunden district, which also through traces, image material from video cameras and through statements by the accused during interrogations. Three are now in custody. The total amount of damage caused by the at least four damaged vehicles and the amount of the stolen goods cannot yet be quantified.
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