Partners NewsAustrian CNU delivered CEPOL course on organised property crime with a focus on motor vehicle crime
International cooperation is essential for combatting cross-border vehicle crime. To this end, the CEPOL National Unit in Austria organised CEPOL Course 20/2025/ONS on ‘Organised property crime – Motor vehicle crime’, in close cooperation with the Federal Criminal Police Office - Department 3.2.6 Vehicle Crime. The activity took place in Stegersbach, Austria from 3 to 7 November 2025, as a follow-up to last year’s activity 19/2024/ONS.
31 police officers from 21 different countries, including Moldova, took part in the course. The aim of the training was to deepen the knowledge acquired in the previous year and subsequently apply it in practice. The course content ranged from the basics of searching the internet for stolen car parts on various online sales platforms to tracking down “hidden spaces” (cavities used by people as hiding places, some of which are modified using highly technical access mechanisms).
Loading data
This year’s activity included five days of theoretical and practical training by national and international experts. A whole day of practical training was held on the border with Slovenia, during which participants were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired in theory.
The response from participants was extremely positive. They expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to expand their international contacts and will use the professional platforms offered to them to stay in touch and exchange experiences. This has already proven very useful from the previous course in 2024, resulting in international successes.
When asked what was useful about the course, one participant replied:
I have learnt many new ways to search online for stolen vehicle parts.
Loading data
Next year, a train-the-trainer course on this topic is expected to take place in Austria with the aim to expand and further deepen the knowledge on this important crime area.
Loading data
News from partners: Contributions are directly provided by CEPOL partners and published in this section “as is”. As a result, CEPOL shall hold no responsibility in the accuracy of content provided by the partner. Opinions reflected in these news from partners shall not be deemed to represent CEPOL’s Management or staff’s opinion.
Related Tags
EMPACT training activity
Combatting new forms of organised crime requires more cooperation between police and gendarmes, customs officers, border guards, judges, and prosecutors. EU institutions, agencies and Member States work together to tackle organised and serious international crime through a permanent and key instrument: the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).
CEPOL plays a crucial role in the EMPACT mechanism through the provision of specialised training and the identification of training needs within each common security threat. Every year, CEPOL provides a comprehensive training package for each common EU crime priority consisting of onsite, online and exchange training activities.
Check more of CEPOL's EMPACT training activities here.
