Czech news in brief for October 16: Thursday’s top afternoon headlines

A shooting Thursday afternoon in Smrzovka, North Bohemia, left two dead and one seriously injured, police reported on X. The suspect was detained, and police confirmed the incident was not related to a nearby school. Authorities received the report shortly before 2 p.m. “The suspect is in custody and no one else is in danger,” said regional spokeswoman Klára Jeničková. This is a developing story.

The National Center against Organised Crime (NCOZ) Thursday accused seven people of tax evasion in electronics deals, causing a loss of CZK 4.7 billion. This is the highest in NCOZ history. Investigators said the group imported electronics from the U.S., UAE, and Hong Kong, which were then falsely declared to Polish, Hungarian, and Slovak companies. They face five to 10 years in prison. NCOZ cooperated with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Financial Analysis Office on the case code-named “The Flash.”

O2 today warned that buying 4G phones is a short-term and risky investment. More than 600,000 new 4G devices were registered this year. O2’s Jan Hruška noted 4G devices offer weaker security, lower performance, and shorter lifespan compared to 5G, which covers 90 percent of Czechia. 5G networks are up to ten times faster, with lower latency and improved connection for many devices, including use on high-speed trains. O2 customers most often use Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi phones. However, some devices that are more than 20 years old remain active on the network.

Rents in Czechia increased 3.1 percent quarter-on-quarter to CZK 336 per square meter Thursday, with the largest jumps in Brno and Prague, Deloitte’s Rent Index shows. Brno rose 7.8 percent to CZK 399 per square meter and Prague 3.6 percent to CZK 456/sqm. Prices fell slightly in Zlín, České Budějovice, and Hradec Králové. Popular Prague districts like Prague 6, 4, and 9 saw the highest increases due to location, infrastructure, and transport accessibility.

Hunters and police reported Thursday that a large feline, possibly a puma, is moving around Nuzice near Týn nad Vltavou (České Budějovice). Spokesman Jiří Matzner said tracks suggest a puma, but confirmation is pending. Police and hunters are mapping the animal’s movements, and experts may attempt to capture it. “The possibility of a puma attacking a person is very small; however, we ask citizens to avoid this location for a few days, which will make the work of hunters easier,” a police spokesperson added.