Suspects burn stolen car after safe theft in Lower Austria

A car used to steal a safe from a petrol station was later set alight in a forest in Pinnersdorf, a locality in Haag in the Amstetten district, ORF reported.

Firefighters were called shortly after 4 a.m. on Monday to the burning vehicle. Police said the car had been stolen in Leonding, Upper Austria, and used at about 3 a.m. to pull a safe from its mounting at a petrol station in Ennsdorf. A strap had been attached to the car.

Investigators believe the perpetrators transferred the stolen goods to another vehicle in the forest before setting fire to the stolen car. It was completely destroyed. Firefighters from Pinnersdorf prevented the flames from spreading to the forest.

The wreckage was taken to a storage yard for police investigations. The theft unit of the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office is investigating.