Luggage slashed open

Police storm Vienna luxury hotel because of employee

The confused employee had given the guests of the luxury hotel in Vienna a huge fright (symbolic image).

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

There was a moment of shock for guests and staff at a renowned hotel in Vienna's city center on Friday: the police had to arrive because of a 27-year-old hotel employee. The man is said to have gone on the rampage in the lobby with a corkscrew and terrified those present. The unpredictable man then barricaded himself in the cellar.

Friday evening took a shocking turn when a colleague allegedly caught the employee slashing a hotel guest's luggage with the end of a corkscrew and rummaging through it. When he was caught, the man completely lost his temper. According to witnesses, he ran into the lobby, shouted aggressively and frightened everyone present.

Entrenched in the basement
The police were alerted immediately and arrived with officers from the Inner City Police Command and the WEGA special unit. The situation escalated further when the man retreated to the basement of the hotel. The emergency services were finally able to track down and arrest the 27-year-old there.

Tools of the trade discovered near the hotel room
But even in the basement, the suspect did not let up: He is said to have threatened the police officers and made a completely confused impression. Although no dangerous objects were found during his search, the murder weapon - the corkscrew - was recovered near the room where the alleged theft had taken place.

The victim, a guest at the hotel, reported the loss of a four-figure sum in Swiss francs and a three-figure sum in euros. The 27-year-old was reported on suspicion of burglary and making dangerous threats. He is currently in police custody. Investigations into the background to the incident are ongoing.