On February 25, 2023, a 15-year-old boy in Vienna-Donaustadt attacked a supermarket with a machete. “I was in debt. I had to pay them off, I was also threatened. I had no other choice,” he says to justify his actions. “A bit of an achievement at that age,” said the judge of the past life of the now 16-year-old, who was exposed and taken into custody after a DNA hit.
He did not name his accomplice, who was also armed with a machete and has not yet been located. He also did not disclose where the suspect got the machete. The now 16-year-old was given two years, partly suspended, and must ‘sit out’ for eight months.
Employees thought it was a joke at first
What happened: Two perpetrators in balaclavas planted themselves in front of the two cash registers in a supermarket in February and each demanded money from the female employees, menacingly with machetes in their hands. “At first I thought it was fun,” one of those affected told a jury (chaired by Anna Marchart). But then she realized the seriousness of the situation.
“I forgot how to open the cash register in the stress.” The other cashier got “a shock”, she told the court. When one of the robbers hit the cash register with a machete, she reflexively jumped up and ran away: “I was in the storage room at the time.”
Traces on the FFP2 mask revealed the perpetrators
The young offenders were left without any loot because a brave customer shouted to them that he had already called the police on his mobile phone and that they were on their way. The robbers lost courage and ran out of the store. Outside, the then 15-year-old made what he saw as a fatal mistake: he disposed of an FFP2 mask he wore under the balaclava and carelessly tossed it to the ground. He was observed by a witness, the police confiscated the mask during the investigation and subjected it to molecular genetic testing.
The perpetrator was not unknown
The DNA traces led directly to the wanted robber, because the DNA profile of the then 15-year-old was already in the DNA database: he was first convicted in September 2021 at the age of 14 after he had stole a few euros from passers-by. There was six months’ probation for the aggravated robbery. “A bit of an achievement at that age,” the current judge responded to the past life of the now 16-year-old, who was taken into custody after the DNA hit.
Suspect wants internship and job
“After seeing what it’s like in prison, I want to go straight,” the suspect admitted. After serving his sentence, he wants to start an internship “or find a job”. When asked how he got the machete in the first place, he replied evasively, “I get it.” Defense attorney Wolfgang Haas described the botched robbery as an “insane operation” and at the same time asked the court for a moderate sentence: “So that he has a chance to get back on track.”
The court complied insofar as eight months of the two-year prison sentence were unconditionally pronounced. The 16-year-old was released on three years’ probation. The suspended previous sentence was not revoked, the six-month probation was extended to five years. In addition, the Senate ordered probation. The verdict is final.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
