33-km destruction tour

Trail of destruction with 29-ton wheel loader

In the Czech Republic, the manure spreader that the thief had coupled to the wheel loader overturned.

(Bild: BioPower)

First a thief broke into a company premises in Retz, Lower Austria, at the weekend. He then hot-wired a wheel loader and manure spreader and left a trail of destruction as far as the Czech Republic, more than 30 kilometers away. The perpetrator managed to escape on foot.

Surveillance cameras at the "BioPower" biogas plant in Retz must now clarify who the suspect could be. It is clear that he smashed a window of the office at around 7.30 p.m. on Saturday evening, emptied a fire extinguisher and threw various technical devices to the ground. He then went to the parking lot and smashed the side window of a 29-ton wheel loader.

Among other things, the vehicle also crashed into a garden wall and a house wall.

(Bild: BioPower)

The vehicle weighing tons flattened everything
It is unclear why the thief also attached a manure spreader (nine tons) to the vehicle, which was completely unsuitable for the wheel loader and front loader. He short-circuited the heavy vehicle and used it to roll down a 150-meter-long fence of the biogas plant. On his way towards the Czech Republic, the stranger caused various damage, including to vineyards.

The fact that there were no injuries during the wild ride is nothing short of a miracle.

(Bild: BioPower)

Manure spreader overturned in garden
Towards the end of his destructive spree, the wheel loader thief was stopped by the police, whereupon a wild chase began. This extended all the way to Prosiměřice in the Czech Republic, around 33 kilometers from Retz. On the way there, the rampaging driver crashed several times into obstacles, including a house wall and a garden wall, before losing the manure spreader, which overturned and came to rest in a garden. 

More than 100,000 euros in damage
A gas station was also demolished - but it held tight. "We are glad that no one was injured," said the managing directors of the biogas company with relief. The damage of around 100,000 euros so far is enormous, including to surrounding vineyards. However, operations are safe and can continue. There is no trace of the perpetrator. He managed to escape on foot.