A late-night attack on a jewelry store in Linz, Austria, played out like a scene from an action movie. At least three suspects rammed a car into the store entrance, smashed display cases, and escaped with jewelry in approximately one minute.
Austrian police are searching for the group. The exact value of the stolen items and the total damage remain unknown at this time.
Car reversed directly into entrance
The break-in occurred on Thursday, September 24, just before 4:00 AM on Wiener Straße in Linz.
According to police, the suspects used a white passenger car as a battering ram.
They reversed the vehicle into the jewelry store’s glass entrance, which was also protected by a rolling metal grille.
The impact broke through the security measures, allowing the perpetrators to get inside.
Two entered, third remained in the car
Immediately after the crash, two masked suspects ran into the store.
According to initial reports, a third accomplice stayed in the vehicle, ready for a quick getaway.
Inside, the two men used hammers to smash several glass display cases.
They stuffed the jewelry into reusable shopping bags they brought with them.
Similar cases show that thieves often use vehicles or other forceful methods to quickly access premises. Aktualizované.sk recently reported on a Vienna case where thieves nearly caused a gas explosion while stealing boilers.
The entire heist lasted about a minute
From crashing through the entrance to their escape, the whole robbery took around one minute.
The suspects then returned to the car and drove away from the scene.
Police have not disclosed the direction of their escape nor whether the vehicle was later found.
It is also unknown whether the getaway car was stolen or belonged to one of the perpetrators.
Extent of the damage still being assessed
Investigators are now determining the amount of jewelry taken and the total damage to the store.
The total losses could be much higher than the value of the stolen goods themselves, as the entrance, security grille, and several display cases were severely damaged.
Austrian police have not arrested anyone so far.
Forensic teams are also collecting evidence in hopes of identifying the members of the group.
Aktualizované.sk has also reported on another case in Austria, where special forces in Vienna detained a man suspected of illegally selling gun parts.
Police reviewing security footage and evidence
In such fast smash-and-grab robberies, surveillance cameras from inside the store and surrounding streets are a vital source of evidence.
So far, police have not released any photos or detailed descriptions of the suspects.
The investigation continues, with police searching for at least three unidentified individuals.
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The Linz case is an example of a so-called “ram-raid” burglary, where suspects use a vehicle to breach the entrance and attempt to carry out the entire operation in a matter of seconds.
It remains to be seen whether investigators will be helped by camera footage, biological traces, or the getaway vehicle itself. The full extent of the losses is still unknown.
Photo: AI generated illustration
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
