A daring and meticulously executed robbery has shaken Germany, where thieves exploited the quiet Christmas holiday period to dig a tunnel leading to the vault of a bank in the west of the country, making off with large quantities of the contents of deposit boxes, in a heist described as the largest in modern German history.
Police announced that the perpetrators broke into a branch of “Sparkasse” bank in the city of Gelsenkirchen on Monday, December 29, through a tunnel they dug, breaching a thick concrete wall to reach the vault. Once inside, they were able to open “several thousand” secure deposit boxes and steal everything inside.
Initially, police estimated the value of the stolen goods at at least ten million euros, but later reports indicated that the value could reach tens of millions of euros, including large sums of cash, jewelry, and other valuables kept inside the boxes.
The theft was discovered after a fire alarm went off inside the bank in the early hours of Monday. Investigations showed that the thieves chose a precise timing, as most institutions in Germany close during the Christmas holiday, which begins on the evening of December 24, providing them with calm and reduced security.
Police also indicated that eyewitnesses saw a number of men carrying large bags in a parking lot next door on Saturday night, in addition to information about a black Audi RS6 leaving the parking lot at dawn with masked men on board. It was later found that the car’s license plate belonged to a vehicle stolen in the city of Hanover, which is more than 200 kilometers away from Gelsenkirchen.
Dozens of angry customers gathered in front of the closed bank branch following the incident, demanding information about the fate of their property. One of them told the German channel “Welt”: “I couldn’t sleep all night… we don’t get any information,” and pointed out that he had been using the deposit box for 25 years and it contained his savings for old age. Another client explained that his box contained money and family jewelry.
“Sparkasse” bank has not issued any immediate comment on the incident, while police continue their investigations into one of the most complex and daring robberies Germany has witnessed in recent years.
