Robbery in Vienna: Armed perpetrator escapes with cigarettes!

Robbery in Vienna: Armed perpetrator escapes with cigarettes!

A serious incident occurred in Vienna when a 23-year-old girl was attacked by an armed man in a shop. The incident occurred today, April 18, 2025, when the young woman asked the perpetrator to leave the store after demanding money. The man reacted aggressively, showed the employee a firearm that was in his waistband and went behind the counter.

As the argument continued, the robber hit the employee with his elbow and tried to get to the cash register. However, this attempt was interrupted by the women's call for help to their boss. In the hustle and bustle, the perpetrator grabbed two cartons of cigarettes and fled in an unknown direction. Unfortunately, the police's immediate search measures were unsuccessful.

Investigations and description of the perpetrator

The Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation into this attack. The perpetrator is described as 25 to 30 years old, around 1.80 meters tall and was wearing a black hood, an FFP2 mask, a dark jacket and light-colored pants. Relevant information can be submitted anonymously at any police station or by calling 01-31310-57800. Such an attack, which falls under theft with weapons, is qualified theft according to Section 244 of the Criminal Code, which can result in an increased penalty.

As part of the legal consideration, it should be noted that for a theft with weapons (Section 244 Paragraph 1 No. 1a) it is not necessary that the weapon is used during the crime. The mere possession of a firearm leads to a more severe punishment because there is an increased risk of escalation. The perpetrator's intended actions are therefore not only extremely serious from a legal perspective, but also represent a significant threat to the safety of the public.

Context of crime

This incident in Vienna falls into a broader social context, as the police crime statistics (PKS) for 2023 were recently presented. This shows an increase in registered crimes of 5.5 percent to 5.9 million compared to the previous year, which is the highest number of cases since 2016. Of particular concern is the increase in robberies, knife attacks and domestic violence, all of which have increased by 8.6 percent. Overall, the number of suspects has risen to almost 2.25 million.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the increase in violent crime as “completely unacceptable” and announced that the police would take consistent action. The increase in crime is influenced by various factors. While some politicians cite “too much uncontrolled migration” as the main cause, others point to poor police equipment and a lack of staff. The study results also suggest that the return to normality after the Corona restrictions and the associated social and economic burdens caused by inflation must be viewed as possible drivers for this worrying trend.