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Fears in Vienna: Youth gangs attack ten-year-olds on the street!
A 12-year-old is robbed by teenagers on the street in Vienna-Meidling while his father is parking. The police are investigating.
Fears in Vienna: Youth gangs attack ten-year-olds on the street!
A worrying incident occurred in Vienna-Meidling. A 12-year-old was the victim of an attack on the street on Edelsinnstrasse. The attack happened while his father, Dragan, was waiting to find a parking space to pick up his son. During this time, two unknown youths appeared, stole the boy's fanny pack and forced him to take off his sweater. The father immediately reported the matter to the police, who then launched a search for the perpetrators. It is believed they may be under 14 years old, meaning they could go unpunished. Dragan expressed concern about the safety of his community and the increasing violence among young people, which seems to be becoming more and more alarming in Vienna.
A recent report shows that youth crime in Vienna is at a worrying level. According to the latest advertising statistics, the total number of advertisements increased by 4.6% to 194,981 in 2024. What is particularly alarming is that 14,804 suspects under the age of 18 were reported, an increase of 33%. Over 57% of the perpetrators come from abroad. Rising violence is a societal problem that requires serious attention, police said.
Young people in conflict with the law
Another incident illustrates the problem: A 15-year-old was recently sentenced to 20 months in prison after committing another attack ten minutes after being questioned by police. Together with two accomplices, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, he robbed a passerby with a dummy baseball bat. The group appeared meek in the hearing, which took place at the Vienna Criminal Regional Court, and apologized. The 15-year-old, who has Bulgarian roots and until recently attended a prestigious private school, is an example of the dramatic increase in youth crime in the city.
The current statistics show that robbery crimes in Vienna increased from 1,180 to 1,394 cases, which corresponds to an increase of 18.1%. These worrying figures come in the context of a general increase in violent and juvenile crime. To counteract this, an interdisciplinary working group on “child and youth crime” was set up in Vienna in 2024 with the aim of intensifying preventative measures.
The current situation calls for a rethinking of safety and dealing with young offenders. While the police continue to actively search for perpetrators and pursue attacks, the question of prevention and protection of young people in Vienna remains a central concern.