Creepy theft in Linz: Children's coffins and figures of saints stolen!

Creepy theft in Linz: Children's coffins and figures of saints stolen!

In a shocking act that shook the municipality of Linz, two 25-year-old men broke into the vacant Capuchin Church during the night on December 8, 2023. There they not only stole three children's dumps, but also stole 20 valuable figures of saints with a total value of around 10,000 euros. Columns include the remains of children of the Starhemberg nobility family, which makes the desecration of grave a particularly delicate topic. This reports Exxpress.at .

The perpetrators broke up a brick wall with brutal violence to get into the crypt under the church. In a worrying turn, they even posed in front of a camera with human remains, a action that underlines the severity of the deed. The trial against the two men begins on July 18, 2025 at the Linz Regional Court.

consequences and legal steps

The perpetrators threaten up to three years in prison due to severe theft and disorder of the dead. The State Criminal Police Office of Upper Austria has so far published no further information about the perpetrators or the background of the crime. The Capuchin Church, which has been the target of burglaries and vandalism since its profanation in 2016, was also bricked up in 2023, which unfortunately was not sufficient to deter the burglars.

A compliant that is in a separate indictment is said to have posed in front of the camera with bones or other mortal remains. The reasons for this hideous desecration of grave have so far been unclear what the public discussion is further fueling.

crime in Austria

In the context of this shocking act, the police criminal statistics (PKS) capture the developments of criminal events in Austria. The PKS is based on the Austrian Criminal Code and electronically registers. It serves to plan criminal police measures and is an important basis for the effective fight against crime. According to the PKS, the notification behavior of the population, the intensity of police controls and legal changes to the crime factors on the crime figures in Austria, such as bundeskriminalamt executed.

Public outrage over the incidents around the Capuchin Church will certainly also initiate political and social discussions about the state of cultural heritage and the protection of cemeteries and churches. The trial of the two men is eagerly awaited and could give further information about the motifs behind this cruel act.