Bank Heist in Gelsenkirchen Leaves Customers Affected

(MENAFN) Thieves carried out a carefully orchestrated burglary, escaping with an estimated $35 million (around €30 million) in cash and personal belongings from a vault in Gelsenkirchen during the Christmas holidays, police reported.

The break-in at a Sparkasse savings bank took place sometime between Saturday evening and Monday morning.

The perpetrators evaded security by drilling through a reinforced concrete wall to reach the vault, then pried open more than 3,000 safety deposit boxes, affecting roughly 2,700 clients.

Authorities discovered the chaotic scene only after a fire alarm was triggered at the bank shortly before 4:00 a.m. on Monday.

Investigators suspect that a heavy-duty, industrial drill was employed in the operation. A police spokesperson characterized the heist as “professionally executed.”

Witnesses recalled seeing several individuals carrying large bags through a nearby parking garage over the weekend. Security cameras also recorded a black Audi RS 6 speeding away early Monday morning with masked occupants.

The car was later confirmed to have been stolen from Hanover, about 200 kilometers away.

By Tuesday, customers arrived to find the bank sealed off. Hundreds gathered outside, demanding explanations after Sparkasse confirmed that 95% of the safety deposit boxes had been compromised.

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