In Gelsenkirchen, robbers took advantage of a quiet post-Christmas weekend to break into a bank by drilling through a wall with an industrial drill. The thieves entered the Sparkasse branch located on one of the city's busy streets and emptied over 3,000 safe deposit boxes, making off with millions of euros.
More than a month after the incident, the police have not made any arrests.
Investigators believe the robbers entered the bank on Nienhofstrasse in the Buer district through an adjacent multi-story parking garage.
It is thought that the thieves tampered with the emergency exit door between the garage and the bank, preventing it from fully closing and allowing unimpeded access inside.
The group reached the bank's basement archive room and then drilled a 40-centimeter-wide hole in the wall to enter the room containing the steel vault.
According to official sources, the robbery occurred between December 27 and 29. The thieves narrowly avoided being caught before reaching the safe deposit boxes.
On the morning of December 27 at around 6:00 a.m., the fire alarm at the bank went off. Firefighters and police responded but found no signs of damage or smoke.
North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul explained that the alarm came from the vault, but since the doors were locked and no signs were visible from the outside, the incident was treated as a "false alarm."
Reul added that the police did not have the authority to search the bank at that time; a search warrant would have been required.
Bank computer records show that the first safe deposit box was opened at 10:45 a.m. on December 27, and the last at 2:44 p.m.
It is still unclear how the thieves emptied thousands of boxes in such a short time or whether the bank's recording system stopped at some point. German media estimate the stolen assets could be worth up to €100 million.
The thieves reportedly poured water and chemicals into the boxes to avoid leaving traces, damaging many of the contents.
Security weaknesses under scrutiny
After the robbery, about 200 affected customers gathered in front of the bank to protest. Many said they lost lifetime savings, family heirloom jewelry, and retirement funds.
The bank claimed that the facility was protected with modern technology and stressed that it too was a victim of the crime.
While safe deposit boxes are typically insured for up to €10,300 each, some customers are preparing lawsuits against the bank for alleged security shortcomings. The investigation into what is considered one of the largest criminal cases in North Rhine-Westphalia's history continues.
