In August 2019, a criminal case rocked Salzburg: a well-known family of jewelers fell victim to three serious criminals. Two alleged perpetrators have to face the jury in the regional court today. The allegations: extortionate kidnapping, robbery, arson and coercion.
One of the two defendants is 39, the other 43 years old. Both are Czech citizens and both have criminal records, including armed robbery.
So far, both have denied the allegations. For the public prosecutor’s office, however, they are considered suspects: The two are said to have committed the brutal attack on the Salzburg jewelry family with a still unknown accomplice.
Masked, the trio stormed the villa on Heuberg on August 15, 2019 – for the Assumption of Mary – armed with a pistol. They immediately threatened the young married couple (35, 41) living there, their two small children and an au pair (27). While they tied the husband, they forced the jeweler into the closed shop: the wife should bring jewelry. Then the perpetrators forced the au pair and the children into the car of the tied husband. He himself had to get into the trunk. The robbers then set the villa on fire in several places. They got into the car, fled into a forest, and got stuck in the mud. During the escape, the robbers met two hikers: four shots were fired. This was followed by the escape, the liberation of the hostages and, as a result, investigations lasting for months. Until the first alleged perpetrator (43) was caught in Prague on November 5th. The second arrest took place on December 9, 2020. If convicted, there is now a risk of up to 20 years imprisonment.
Antonio Lovric