Adhesive-tape method: Burglars test for absence in Upper Austrian cities
Unknown perpetrators mark flats with barely visible threads to determine whether residents are at home. Several thefts already committed.
Adhesive-tape method: Burglars test for absence in Upper Austrian cities
In Upper Austria, criminals have developed a tactic to determine whether flats are unoccupied. They stick inconspicuous strips on front doors and check later to see whether they are still in place.
Investigators from the State Criminal Office report several thefts in which this method was used. In recent days, cases have been registered in Linz, Traun, Wels and Steyr. The perpetrators first break into residential buildings and attach thin strips to the doors – often at the bottom of the frame, where they are not immediately noticeable.
When residents are absent, the markings remain untouched. The return of the suspects after several hours or the next day serves as a check: if the strips are still there, the flat is classified as unoccupied and subsequently broken into.
Officers advise caution. Anyone who discovers such marks on their door should immediately call the emergency number 133 or visit the local police station. Quick action makes it possible to launch investigations and apprehend the perpetrators. Anonymous tips are also accepted.
Source: Upper Austrian News
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)