A Vienna-born teen of Serbian descent is at the center of a politically charged immigration case after investigators linked him and his older brother to 2,200 criminal offenses committed across the Austrian capital and have made plans to deport him.
According to Statement Österreich, the younger brother alone, who is currently 14, is alleged to have carried out 1,500 burglaries, mostly car break-ins, before he was old enough to be held criminally responsible. Austrian authorities are now reviewing whether he can be deported to Serbia — a step that would be without precedent for a minor born in the country.
According to police, the boy holds dual Austrian and Serbian citizenship and lives with his mother in Vienna. His father has already been deported. After turning 14, he stole a Toyota, crashed it, and was imprisoned for the first time. He was released at the end of July under strict conditions, including mandatory schooling, probation meetings, and attendance at a crisis center. Officials say he has repeatedly ignored all three requirements.
The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) is now assessing a deportation order, with a decision expected later this year. Even the teenager’s grandparents in Serbia — who would be legally eligible to assume custody — have told authorities they are unwilling to take him, describing him as unmanageable.
The case comes amid what Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) calls an “explosion” in youth crime, in particular by what he called “problem children” between 10 and 14 years of age. Offenses committed by children in this age bracket have doubled in five years, reaching more than 12,000 cases last year. Police say Syrian juveniles are particularly prominent among offenders, and the number of young perpetrators who have reached legal age has risen nearly tenfold since 2020, reaching around 1,000.
The 14-year-old at the center of the current review is considered the most prolific juvenile offender in Austria’s recent history. His 1,500 recorded crimes place him firmly in the category that investigators have warned is spiraling out of control. Karner revealed that police forces are struggling to contain highly mobile and often uncooperative suspects.
The prospect of deporting a minor born on Austrian soil, unsurprisingly, has complications. The Federal Administrative Court applies strict standards in such cases, and successful integration — or the lack of it — is only one of several factors considered. Child-welfare authorities currently hold custody of the boy after relatives declined responsibility.
If the BFA approves the order, the teenager could be removed to Serbia before the end of the year.
