Robber attacks 87-year-old after cash withdrawal

A man attacked and robbed an 87-year-old woman in Vienna’s Ottakring district on Friday evening after she withdrew cash from a bank, ORF reported. She was injured in the assault.

The woman had taken public transport home after withdrawing a large amount of cash, police spokesperson Irina Steirer said. As she was unlocking the entrance to her apartment building, the attacker grabbed her from behind and put her in a chokehold.

He tried to pull away her shoulder bag. The woman fell during the struggle and was injured. The man fled with the bag. A police search did not find him, and investigations are ongoing, Steirer said.

Police advise people withdrawing larger amounts of cash to ask a relative or trusted person to accompany them to and from the bank. They also recommend using an ATM inside a bank foyer or asking to receive larger sums in a separate room. Anyone who notices a suspicious person should go to a busy, safe place and call police on 133.