Mayor outraged

Heating gone, toilet destroyed: hooligans on the rampage at Lake Attersee

The construction of this toilet facility below the Schoberstein in Weißenbach am Attersee cost 60,000 euros. Thieves have now struck there.

(Bild: Loy Robert/Robert Loy)

In Weyregg, the flush and electrics of a public toilet have been destroyed for the tenth time in a row, while a toilet seat and radiator were stolen from a toilet in Weißenbach, just a few kilometers away. Who are these hooligans who are currently rampaging around Lake Attersee?

"Unfortunately, this has become normal," sighs Steinbach mayor Nicole Eder (ÖVP). Thieves recently struck where bathers and mountain hikers normally go to the loo. Thieves removed a seat and electric wall heaters from the new year-round heated public toilet facility in Weißenbach, which cost 60,000 euros.

The thieves were not above stealing the toilet seat from this toilet. They also unscrewed the electric wall radiators.

(Bild: Loy Robert/Robert Loy)

Feces smeared on the walls of a toilet
It is not possible to find out who did it. The area below the Schoberstein, which is popular with hikers, is not monitored. And even if the material damage is not so great in this case, the indignation about it certainly is. It was the same in Steinbach in the spring, when an offender smeared faeces on the walls of another toilet in the village. The mayor says: "The poor ones are the ones who have to clean it up"

As far as the behavior of individuals is concerned, I can tell you other things. I was recently on the Schoberstein. Someone had a barbecue at the summit and left the red-hot aluminum bowl lying around.

Bürgermeisterin Nicole Eder, Bürgermeisterin von Steinbach am Attersee

Bild: Krone KREATIV/Gemeinde Steinbach

Outrage about vandalism in Weyregg
The situation is similar in Weyregg to the north. There, a hooligan has destroyed the public toilet in Alexenau for the tenth time in a row. "Each time, either the linkage of the flushing mechanism or the electrics have been broken," says Weyregg mayor Michael Stur (ÖVP) angrily.

Installing a video surveillance system at the toilet facility in question is certainly an option. I'll have that checked out now.

Michael Stur, Bürgermeister von Weyregg am Attersee

Bild: Krone KREATIV/lichtlinien.at

Mayor considers installing video system
In total, it's around €300 to €400 per damage - and the annoyance of people who can't go to the toilet. "They then get upset with us, even though it's not our fault." One solution would be to install cameras to monitor the area in front of it. "I'm having that legally checked now," says Stur. What's more, the police are already investigating the case.