A 21-year-old police student and his friends prevented the young man’s sister from falling for a con man on Sunday evening. The 23-year-old was called by a fake police officer who wanted to “secure” valuables. The would-be police officers recognized the criminal proceedings and prevented the young woman from handing the man money and jewelry worth 10,000 euros. The scammer has been arrested.
The 33-year-old called the woman at around 7:45 p.m. at her apartment on Bahnhofstrasse in Penzing. He pretended to be a police officer and asked about their valuables. He said there were many break-ins in the area and that he could keep the money and jewelry safe. To back up his information, he even connected the 23-year-old with an alleged prosecutor who confirmed the events.
Suspect chased and overpowered
The victim’s brother and two of his friends, all police trainees, heard the call and immediately recognized the scam. They notified their colleagues and waited for the wrong police officer to ring the bell. The 23-year-old opened the door, but when he saw that there were other people in the house, the man fled. The three young police students ran after him and held him until emergency services arrived. The 33-year-old has been arrested.
The Vienna police strongly warned never to leave cash or valuables in their custody. The police are not asking for this. Corresponding telephone calls must be terminated immediately and the emergency number 133 must be called. Information about family or financial circumstances should never be communicated in a telephone conversation.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
