A 49-year-old Hungarian man has been arrested in Austria on suspicion of breaking into cars and stealing valuable vehicle parts in at least 60 cases across five provinces, according to Austrian police. The total damage caused by the alleged offences could amount to several hundred thousand euros.
Suspect caught red-handed near Vienna
The man was arrested in Brunn am Gebirge, after police caught him carrying previously removed light modules and bonnets from a car dealership to his vehicle parked nearby.
This incident alone is estimated to have caused around EUR 15,000 in damage.
The investigation began on 8 July after several vehicles were broken into at a car rental company’s premises in Graz. Criminal investigators subsequently identified around 60 similar cases across Styria, Burgenland, Vienna, Lower Austria and Upper Austria.
Police tracked suspect across Austria
According to the Hungarian News Agency (MTI), investigators eventually identified a vehicle they believed may have been connected to several of the offences. This lead helped them identify the Hungarian suspect. Police also discovered that the man had previously been convicted in Hungary for property-related offences.
At the beginning of August, investigators established that the suspect had returned to Austria. He was subsequently observed near car dealerships and company car parks, among other locations.
On the evening of 18 August, the 49-year-old crossed into Austria again at Klingenbach in Burgenland. Police followed him to an industrial area in Brunn am Gebirge, where he reportedly used an electric scooter to scout the area. The following night, Austrian officers moved in as he was carrying the previously removed vehicle parts towards his car.
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Man admits only latest alleged offence
During questioning, the Hungarian suspect admitted to the offence in Brunn am Gebirge but denied the other allegations. Police said the investigation into the remaining cases and any possible connections between them is still ongoing.
The Styrian State Police Directorate said the suspected offences caused damage amounting to several hundred thousand euros in total.
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