Police data indicates non-Austrian citizens were suspects in almost half of all crimes committed last year.
New police statistics reveal that nearly 50% of crimes in Austria last year involved foreign nationals, with a notable increase in offenses committed by young Syrians.
Data from the Interior Ministry on Monday shows Austria recorded over 500,000 criminal offenses in 2024, a 1.2% increase from the previous year. Foreign nationals were identified as suspects in 46.8% of the nearly 336,000 identified suspects.
The data indicates that over 150,000 suspects were not Austrian citizens. Romanians, Germans, and Syrians were the most frequently identified foreign national suspects. The number of Syrian suspects has risen by approximately 30% since 2023, now exceeding 11,000.
Youth crime has also risen significantly, especially among those aged 10-14. Reported offenses in this age group have almost doubled since 2020. Foreign nationals made up 48% of the young suspects, with a 35% increase in reported offenses by Syrians compared to the previous year.
In response, the Austrian government has proposed stricter measures, including mandatory counseling for minors, case conferences for repeat offenders, and specialized residential communities with temporary mandatory stays under judicial supervision.
As of early 2024, Austria was home to nearly 100,000 Syrian refugees. Following the removal of Bashar Assad as Syrian President in December, Austria, along with several other EU countries, suspended pending Syrian asylum applications to reassess the situation.
Furthermore, Austria has suspended family reunifications and has issued at least 2,400 notices regarding the revocation of refugee status.
Germany is experiencing a similar issue, with non-German citizens accounting for 41% of crime suspects in 2023, despite comprising only about 15% of the population.
German authorities have responded by promising to improve integration efforts and accelerate the deportation of foreign offenders.
Following a February stabbing attack by a Syrian asylum seeker, in which a 14-year-old boy died and five others were injured, anti-immigration sentiment in Austria has increased.
Austrian authorities described the attack as an “Islamist attack,” stating that the 23-year-old suspect had been radicalized online “in a short space of time.”