Money and jewelry gone

Homeowners were suddenly confronted by thieves

The thieves mainly stole money and jewelry (symbolic image).

(Bild: Christian Delbert/stock.adobe.com)

"Where's the reception here?" This was the cheeky response of sneak-in thieves after being surprised by homeowners. The three Romanians then gave chase, but were caught by the police. The gang of thieves are accused of a total of twelve crimes.

A four-strong gang of offenders from Romania is said to have sneaked into agricultural properties throughout Upper Austria and committed several shopliftings. The suspects, aged between 16 and 25, traveled from their home country and checked into a hotel in Linz.

Houses watched
From there, they spied on several farmhouses every day before sneaking into the buildings and stealing mainly money and jewelry. They were surprised four times by the house owners, but the perpetrators pretended to be unaware and asked for a hotel or reception before fleeing.

Quick escape
On January 15, the Romanians again encountered the residents of a house they had just sneaked into. Two gave chase in their car and one fled on foot. However, the car was stopped by a police patrol and the occupants arrested. A search is underway for the third fugitive, another member of the gang is still unknown.

Correct behavior when encountering strangers in your home:

1. Make noise: If you are safe and the perpetrator has not noticed you, making noise (e.g. activating an alarm system) can act as a deterrent.
2. No confrontation: Avoid confronting or challenging the perpetrator. Your safety comes first.
3. Contact the police: Call the police immediately on 133, give your address and a description of the situation - note the direction of escape, description of the perpetrator and the license plate number of the vehicle.
4. Take preventive measures, such as installing security systems and locking doors and windows.

Twelve offenses
The Romanians are accused of committing at least twelve crimes in Upper Austria and Lower Austria in the period from January 8, 2023 to January 16, 2025. They had already sold on some of the loot before their arrest. Instead of a hotel, they are now in Linz prison.