With drugs in the champagne

Prostitutes robbed Viennese burglar king

The 28-year-old defendant is in custody, pregnant by the mastermind (53). Behind her: the 43-year-old ex of the child's father.

(Bild: Bartel Gerhard/Gerhard Bartel, Krone KREATIV)

The public prosecutor describes the modus operandi in the Vienna provincial court as "an unprecedented series of robberies". Two prostitutes and a 53-year-old mastermind drugged clients during house calls and then emptied the apartments. This is how the Hungarian women ended up in the apartment of the famous burglar Ernst Walter Stummer.

One elderly gentleman after another enters the courtroom in Vienna. They all report the same thing on the witness stand: they ordered a call girl to their home via a platform - and then their memories were lost. When they woke up, cash, valuables and even entire safes had disappeared. And with them the now accused 28- and 43-year-olds.

"Unprecedented series of robberies"
The two prostitutes drugged and robbed a total of ten victims throughout Austria in the fall of 2023. "An unprecedented series of robberies", is how the prosecutor sums it up. "The criminal organization was geared towards contacting older single men." 

Burglary king became a victim
One of them was the legendary Viennese burglar king Ernst Walter Stummer. "I wrote to a lot of women. I didn't think she would really come. I opened a glass of champagne, poured us a glass and then I can't remember. The whole thing lasted maybe three minutes," says the 85-year-old in the corridor before his testimony - for a change as a witness and not a defendant.

The burglary king Ernst Walter Stummer (85) fell victim to the two prostitutes: "They didn't find much." 50 euros and a watch were missing.

(Bild: Pratschner Sophie)

He spent around 30 years of his life in prison and then sued the Republic of Austria at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to have his insurance months from his prison work counted towards his pension. He has now been avoiding conflict with the law for ten years.

Wire-puller only played cab
Unlike a 53-year-old Hungarian - the mastermind of the robbery and ex-boyfriend of both women. He already had nine previous convictions. However, he wants nothing to do with the current allegations: "I didn't go to the houses. I only found out from the police that they were using drugs. I thought they were going in, having a drink and having fun." However, the two women name him as the mastermind.

If convicted as charged, the man and the two women face up to 15 years in prison for aggravated robbery and criminal association. The child that the 28-year-old woman is expecting from her co-defendant will probably be born in prison. Especially as the trial will drag on: Adjourned to June 24.