Local fast food restaurants, especially the McDonalds chain, were targeted by a professional burglary gang in 2022. A 31-year-old Kosovar was suspected of being the latest escapee – whether this is true will not become clear until October at the earliest. No verdict has been given today, Wednesday 17 July; more witnesses are needed.
Crime of commercial serious theft by burglary in the context of a criminal organization – that is what the judiciary calls what the Kosovar gang committed in the fall of 2022 in Upper Austria. A 31-year-old, represented by lawyer Andreas Mauhart, is said to be the last unpunished member.
Taxed with 48,000 euros
Specifically, eight professional thieves attempted to steal a safe containing around 25,000 euros from the McDonald’s branch in Haag am Hausruck on September 15 and October 9. In the second attempt, they finally succeeded in opening the safe with an angle grinder; the loot amounted to around 23,000 euros in cash.
Very professional approach
No expense or effort was spared: despite the ban on residence, vehicles were rented with false documents, guards were appointed and GPS finders were used to track police patrols. Regardless of the losses, the damage in the other affected branches was usually many times greater than the loot.
Evidence, but no proof
Seven members of the professional gang from Kosovo were convicted in March 2023, only one was still at large at the time. Today, a 31-year-old Kosovar had to answer for the above-mentioned crime before the regional court in Wels. According to the indictment, he is said to have lived together with other already convicted accomplices in a conspiratorial apartment in Wels and to have driven the getaway car, which was registered in the name of his mother-in-law.
Witnesses acquitted the suspect
However, the accomplices, who were connected via video link from Suben Prison, both made it clear that they did not know the suspect in any way. It was originally said that the 31-year-old had led the operation in Haag am Hausruck under an alias and had even incited the others. However, serious doubts arose about this: a witness claimed that the man he was looking for was actually a previously unknown Serbian trafficker who had incited the men to commit the burglaries. But that was not guaranteed either.
Ultimately, the trial was postponed: photos on the suspect’s sister’s mobile phone are intended to prove that he was at home in Kosovo on the day of the crime, rather than in the Innviertel. Further witnesses will also be called and will continue on 3 October. If found guilty, the 31-year-old faces between six months and five years in prison, but he denies any involvement…
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.
