In a brazen robbery reminiscent of a Hollywood film, thieves made off with an estimated 30 million euros (US$35 million) from a savings bank in western Germany during the extended Christmas holiday break. The heist, which police have described as "very professionally executed," targeted the Sparkasse bank in the city of Gelsenkirchen.
A Holiday Break-In
According to authorities, the criminals exploited the quiet Christmas period when German businesses were closed. They are believed to have used a large drill to bore their way from an adjacent parking garage into the bank's underground vault room. The break-in went undetected for days, with investigators suspecting the gang may have spent the long holiday weekend inside the vault itself.
The scale of the theft is staggering. The bank confirmed that more than 95 percent of the 3,250 customer safe deposit boxes were forcibly opened. This means over 3,000 boxes were looted by the unknown perpetrators. The robbery was only discovered in the early hours of Monday, December 30th, after a triggered fire alarm led emergency services to find the entry hole.
Evidence and Investigation
Police have pieced together a timeline from witness accounts and security footage. Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags in the parking garage stairwell during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Crucially, security camera footage captured a black Audi RS 6 leaving the garage early Monday morning with masked individuals inside.
The vehicle's licence plate had been stolen earlier in the city of Hanover, indicating careful planning. A police spokesman told AFP that the operation required "a great deal of prior knowledge and/or a great deal of criminal energy" to plan and carry out, drawing a direct comparison to the heist movie "Ocean's Eleven."
Aftermath and Angry Customers
The fallout from the robbery was immediate and chaotic. On Tuesday, hundreds of distressed and angry bank customers gathered outside the closed branch, demanding information about their losses. Police had to stand guard as the bank did not open for security reasons, following threats made against employees.
The financial toll is immense. Police estimated the damage at around 30 million euros, based on an average insured value of over 10,000 euros per box. However, several victims have already reported that their actual losses far exceed the insured value of their safe deposit boxes, which often held personal jewellery, gold, and cash.
In response, the bank has set up a customer hotline and pledged to inform all affected clients in writing. Bank press spokesman Frank Krallmann expressed shock at the event, stating, "We are standing by our customers and hope that the perpetrators will be caught." The bank is working with its insurance company to determine how to process the avalanche of claims. As of now, the sophisticated thieves remain at large.
