A rude awakening

While victim slept: Thief struck on night train

Brazen theft coup in a Nightjet on the train journey from Zurich to Villach.(Bild: Harald Eisenberger/ KroneKreativ)

Shock for a young Carinthian who was traveling by train from Zurich to Villach at night! Without realizing it, the 25-year-old became a victim.

A rude awakening for a 25-year-old from the district of Klagenfurt: Florian (name changed by the editors) had traveled to Switzerland by train for a job interview in Zurich on Tuesday. At 7.50 p.m., he returned on the night train. "Fortunately, I had a six-person compartment to myself because of the time. So I lay down across three seats at around 11 p.m. and slept." The young Carinthian placed his rucksack next to his head "as a precaution".

The ticket of the Carinthian theft victim.(Bild: zVg)

Criminal slipped into the role of conductor
"Sometime between two and four o'clock I suddenly woke up and a man dressed in black was standing in the doorway. He asked me if I wanted a drink - whereupon I said no, half asleep, and went back to bed. I assumed it was a conductor," Florian tells the Krone. He only realized that a criminal was actually standing in front of him after arriving in Villach.

"When I got off the train, I thought to myself that my rucksack was somehow so light. Then I looked inside - and my laptop, iPad, headphones and around 50 euros in cash were missing. I then went back on the train - but I didn't leave anything behind or lose anything." The shocked victim then immediately reported the incident to the nearest police station. Total value of the loot: around 3000 euros.

We assure you that we will take the incident seriously and support the authorities in their investigations. We would like to apologize for the reaction of customer service.

ÖBB-Pressesprecher Herbert Hofer

"Unacceptable reaction"
"I have also reported this to ÖBB so that they at least know about it. The response was very disappointing and unsympathetic: they just said that it was my own fault and that I should have booked a private compartment." ÖBB spokesperson Herbert Hofer regrets the criminal incident when asked by "Krone" and apologizes for the behavior of its own customer service. "Such a reaction is unacceptable!"