Two brothers in Vienna face deportation after more than 2200 crimes
Two young brothers living in Vienna are facing the possibility of deportation, according to the news magazine profil, which reported information from Austrian investigators. The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that an investigation is underway against the brothers after a large number of complaints were filed against them. The brothers, who hold Serbian nationality, are now undergoing procedures to revoke their residence permit by the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum. Their fate will depend on the outcome of the ongoing criminal case, as their residence permit may be revoked if they are convicted, paving the way for their deportation.
The suspects are aged 14 and 16. According to the profil report, the younger brother is believed to have committed around 1500 thefts, most of them before he turned 14, when he was not legally responsible for his actions yet. Reports indicate that the brothers accumulated over 2200 police reports in just one year. After turning 14, the younger brother was imprisoned earlier this year after being accused of destroying a car, but he was released last July, and it is said that he did not fully comply with the release conditions imposed by the court.
Currently, the siblings are under the care of the Child and Youth Services in Vienna (Kinder- und Jugendhilfe Wien), even though their mother also lives in the city. Their father has been deported earlier, and Austrian reports indicate that their grandparents in Serbia refused to take custody of them.
Authorities are now exploring the possibility of state institutions in Serbia taking care of the siblings in case they are deported. The case has sparked a wide debate in Austria about juvenile justice and immigration policies, especially regarding juvenile offenders who are non-citizens.
The two brothers still enjoy the presumption of innocence until the ongoing investigations are concluded.