Mother strikes son of bicycle theft: police step in!

Mother strikes son of bicycle theft: police step in!

Wien-Donaustadt, Österreich - In Vienna-Donaustadt, an incident caused excitement on Thursday, May 30, 2025. A 13-year-old boy was caught when he tried to steal an electric bike with a one of the same age. The two boys were discovered by the police around 4:00 p.m. next to a damaged e-bike on Wagramer Strasse. To stole the stolen bike, they had tools that had been used for theft. The investigators found the two boys in an unpleasant Situation because both had suffered some injuries and were cared for by the career rescue.

After medical care was completed, the boys were handed over to their legal guardians. The reaction of the 13-year-old's mother caused a sensation: she not only verbally expressed her disapproval of her son's behavior, but also beat him. Fortunately, the police were able to prevent further blows and showed the mother due to the suspicion of attempted bodily harm.

The legal framework

What catches the eye of this incident is the understanding of youth criminal law in Austria. This is a special criminal law that applies especially to young accused in the transition between childhood and adulthood. The focus is not on punishment, but on education and the rehabilitation of the young people. Children under the age of 14 are dismissal, while adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 are subject to juvenile justice (criminal rights wins.de) .

In the case of the 13-year-old thief, however, it should be noted that it is below the age limit and therefore cannot be prosecuted for his actions. This is often seen as part of growing up, since most young people hire their criminal behavior with the achievement of a certain age. Nevertheless, the question of education and social backgrounds is important to derive possible preventive measures.

youth crime in numbers

A look at the numbers on youth crime shows: This is mostly male and primarily affects lighter offenses such as theft and property damage. In a nationwide student survey, 43.7 % of the male and 23.6 % of the female students stated that they had committed crimes. Most offenses occur in the age group of 14 to 16-year-olds, especially in the 16-year-olds. The police crime statistics also show a decline in youth crime in recent years, which can also be seen as a positive trend. (bpb.de)

The situation illustrates that it is not only about the perpetrators, but also about the circumstances that lead to such criminal behavior. Even if most young people grow out of crime over the years, preventive measures and good upbringing remain essential factors to solve this problem sustainably. The incident in Vienna could be an impetus for further discussions about youth penalty systems and prevention strategies in society.