13 Syrians arrested after gas attacks and thefts in Favoriten
Vienna police arrested 13 suspects after a series of violent robberies in Favoriten, where groups of youths used incendiary gas to attack victims and rob them near Viktor-Adler-Markt. The attacks led to a wide-ranging investigation in the area.
The first breakthroughs came when the victims were able to identify nine suspects aged between 15 and 22. All of them are of Syrian nationality, and the public prosecutor's office in Vienna ordered their detention in holding centers. The police linked these attackers to other incidents in Antonsplatz and Reumannplatz, including an incident where a victim was sprayed with gas, robbed of his money, and threatened with death if he reported to the authorities.
Two days later, the victim encountered the same perpetrators again at Reumannplatz, where he was sprayed with gas for the second time, and his jacket was stolen this time. Investigators later managed to identify four additional suspects aged between 14 and 16, all of whom are also of Syrian nationality.
Due to their refusal to provide any statements during the investigation, the public prosecutor ordered their detention as well. The police believe that this group was operating within interconnected cells targeting random victims in crowded areas.
Vienna authorities confirm that these arrests represent an important step towards stopping the organized attacks carried out by youths in the Favoriten area, noting that investigations into related cases are still ongoing to dismantle the remaining groups involved in the series of thefts.