【Sollenau, Lo】Kind Gesture Turns to Horror: Guest Steals Luxury Watches & Jewelry

Editor’s Note

This article details a case in Lower Austria where a couple’s act of hospitality was betrayed, resulting in the theft of valuable items. The suspect, a guest in their home, was later arrested abroad.

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Arrest

A Romanian man has been arrested following a theft in Lower Austria.

A kind gesture turned into a nightmare for a couple when their guest stole luxury watches and jewelry. The Romanian man was allowed to stay with the couple, but valuable items suddenly went missing. He fled and was later apprehended abroad.

The couple, aged 38 and 39, offered temporary accommodation in their home in the municipality of Sollenau (Wiener Neustadt district, Lower Austria) to a 39-year-old Romanian man. Between September 30, 2025, and October 16, 2025, the hosts noticed that several high-priced watches, as well as cash and jewelry, were missing. Their guest subsequently fled, with his initial whereabouts unknown.

“The theft caused damage in the low five-figure euro range,” police reported.
Arrest Abroad

However, officers from the Wiener Neustadt Criminal Investigation Department eventually located the Romanian man abroad.

“The suspect was arrested in Romania on February 5, 2026, and extradited to Austrian authorities on February 13, 2026,” the statement said. The suspect is reported to have confessed.

On the order of the Wiener Neustadt public prosecutor’s office, the 39-year-old was remanded to the relevant detention facility.

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⏰ Published on: February 17, 2026