Minors Apprehended in Vienna After Joyriding in Stolen Vehicle

A group of minors was intercepted by police in Vienna after driving a stolen car for over a day and a half. The vehicle, which was reported stolen in the Leopoldstadt district, was overloaded with six individuals. The young drivers exhibited reckless behavior, causing other motorists to brake suddenly and filling up the car with fuel on two separate occasions without payment.

The incident reached a climax when the group was involved in an accident near Handelskai and attempted to flee from law enforcement. Four of the individuals were apprehended by authorities.

According to police spokesperson Markus Dittrich, the car was stolen on Thursday morning and was likely left unlocked with the keys inside. The minors drove the vehicle to various locations, including Korneuburg. Due to the lack of seating, one of the passengers was even found in the trunk.

On Friday afternoon, police received reports of a minor driving aggressively in the Donaustadt area. Once officers located the vehicle and attempted to pull it over, the driver accelerated, leading to a chase that ended in the Leopoldstadt district after colliding with a parked car. Upon stopping, the six minors attempted to escape on foot, but four were quickly captured.

The authorities took into custody a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, while two others, aged 12 and 13, were returned to their guardians. The older minor, a 15-year-old, was remanded to a juvenile detention facility. The 14-year-old confessed to several car break-ins in Vienna and Lower Austria and was released on police orders after being charged.

Items believed to be stolen, including clothing, bags, and documents, were recovered from the juveniles. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine who was driving the stolen vehicle at the time of the incident.