Thieves Target German Bank During Christmas Period

BERLIN, Dec 30 (Reuters) – During the calm Christmas season, thieves seized the opportunity to break into a German retail bank, making off with at least 10 million euros worth of cash and valuables from safe deposit boxes, authorities reported.

Police stated that the suspects managed to drill through a thick concrete wall at a Sparkasse Bank branch located in Gelsenkirchen, which is in the western part of the country. They accessed thousands of safe deposit boxes and stole an estimated sum of several million euros in cash.

Most businesses and banks in Germany were closed during the Christmas festivities, which started on the evening of December 24. The break-in was discovered after a fire alarm triggered the police’s attention in the early hours of December 29.

The following day, numerous frustrated customers gathered outside the bank, expressing their anger by shouting, “Let me in!”

One man, anxiously waiting outside the branch, shared with a broadcaster his despair: “I couldn’t sleep last night. There was no information coming in.” He highlighted that he had relied on his safe for 25 years to store his retirement savings.

Another customer mentioned using their safe to keep cash and jewelry for their family.

It was also noted that witnesses reported seeing multiple men carrying large items in the stairwell of a nearby parking garage on Saturday night. Additionally, there were accounts of a black Audi RS 6 departing from the garage early Monday morning, occupied by masked individuals. Authorities pointed out that the vehicle’s license plate traced back to a stolen car in Hannover, situated over 200 kilometers away from Gelsenkirchen.