180,000 euros damage

Fraudster jumped out of window while fleeing from police

The criminal teenager was caught in Traun.

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He is sporty, but otherwise there is not much positive to say about an 18-year-old from Leonding: the young man, who has a criminal record as a fraudster, is said to have committed 28 crimes and caused 180,000 euros in damage. When the police tried to pick him up, he jumped out of the window. 

Since December 2023, the Leonding police had been conducting extensive investigations into an 18-year-old suspect from Linz who was suspected of commercial fraud. On December 27, 2023, a victim filed a complaint after receiving several unjustified reminders. During the initial questioning, the victim already expressed suspicions about the 18-year-old, who was officially detained in Leoben prison at the time. However, he had not used an authorized release to return and was therefore wanted for arrest. 

Already convicted
He had previously been convicted of fraud offenses. With information from the victims, the young man's whereabouts in Traun could be determined. When the police arrived there to arrest him, he fled on foot by jumping from the second floor of an apartment building into the garden. The officers immediately launched a manhunt and he was soon apprehended by the Traun municipal police. 

28 offenses
Further investigations revealed that the suspect had committed a total of 28 crimes. Among other things, he had bought two expensive cars, taken out several loans and requested credit cards, which he then overdrawn by thousands of euros - in each case under the false identity of the victims and under false pretenses.

More than 180,000 euros in losses
The total damage caused by this amounted to more than 180,500 euros. However, assets worth around 132,000 euros, including the cars, were seized as a result of the investigations. Initially, the accused denied all allegations, but ultimately confessed to the charges.