During the Christmas holiday, thieves in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, executed a brazen heist, making off with an estimated 10 million euros in cash and valuables. Police reported that the perpetrators drilled through a thick concrete wall to access the vault of a Sparkasse bank branch. Sparkasse is a German savings bank that provides financial services to individuals and businesses. Once inside, they broke into several thousand safe deposit boxes.
The crime was discovered after a fire alarm sounded in the early hours of Monday, December 29. German shops and banks typically close for several days starting on the evening of December 24 for the Christmas period. The timing allowed the thieves ample opportunity to breach the bank’s security undetected. Dozens of affected customers gathered outside the bank on Tuesday, demanding information and expressing their frustration.
Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags in the stairwell of a nearby parking garage on Saturday night. A black Audi RS 6, reportedly containing masked individuals, was also seen leaving the garage early Monday morning. The vehicle’s license plate was traced back to a car stolen in Hanover, over 200 kilometres away.
Authorities are continuing their investigation. A spokesperson for the Sparkasse bank in Gelsenkirchen has yet to release any information about the incident. The incident has left many customers anxious and demanding answers regarding their missing valuables.
