Police arrest Dorotheum robber in Vienna – Major operation with suspected hostage situation on Währinger Straße

Already in the morning, Währinger Straße in the area of the auction house had been cordoned off for several hours. Residents and passers-by were asked to give the area a wide berth. According to the deployed units, the situation was tense because there were indications of a possible hostage-taking. The all-clear could only be given gradually.

Vienna police said they had deployed Cobra, WEGA and the service dog unit in order to be prepared for all eventualities. Negotiation leaders were ordered to the scene, and negotiations with the suspected perpetrator were reportedly conducted prior to the arrest.

Arrest and sustained interrogation

After the arrest, the situation at the scene eased. The cordons were gradually lifted, and traffic on the heavily frequented Währinger Straße resumed late in the afternoon. According to initial findings, no one was injured. Police initially gave no information on possible weapons or loot.

In the background, criminal police investigations are now under way. The suspect is to be questioned still on Sunday, and a confrontation with possible witnesses is also under discussion. No information was released regarding the extent of any possible damage to the Dorotheum building or to display cases.

Lead to older cases

The arrest also sheds light on a series of older offences that have been familiar to police from past years under the catchphrase "Alter Bekannter." Whether the man now arrested actually belongs to this series of offences is the subject of the ongoing investigations. Should the suspicion be confirmed, the man would allegedly be responsible for several spectacular break-ins and robberies in the Vienna metropolitan area.

The Dorotheum, the world's oldest still-existing auction house, has long been a known target for burglars in Vienna. Valuable artworks, jewellery and antiques are regularly auctioned there, which also makes the establishment attractive for organised gangs. Security measures around the auction house have been repeatedly reinforced in recent years.

Reactions and media

Kronen Zeitung was the first to report on the major operation, and APA subsequently confirmed the arrest. Both media outlets cited police information. How the assumption of a hostage-taking arose, whether there was in fact a hostage, and how exactly the arrest proceeded remained unclear initially.