In a dramatic turn of events reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster, a group of thieves utilized a powerful drill to orchestrate a stunning robbery at a savings bank located in western Germany, making off with an astounding €30 million (approximately £26 million or $35 million) in cash and valuable items, as reported by local police.
A spokesperson for the police drew parallels between this audacious crime and the film "Ocean's Eleven," describing the operation as "very professionally executed." This heist took place at the Sparkasse savings bank situated in Gelsenkirchen, where the criminals targeted over 3,000 safe deposit boxes filled with money, gold, and jewelry.
Authorities became aware of the break-in when a fire alarm was triggered during the early hours of Monday morning. However, as of now, no suspects have been apprehended, leaving the thieves still at large.
Investigations indicate that the perpetrators exploited the quiet holiday period to carry out their plan, accessing the bank through an adjacent parking garage in the Buer district on Nienhofstrasse. Eyewitnesses reported seeing multiple individuals transporting large bags within the stairwell of the garage late Saturday into Sunday.
Furthermore, police surveillance footage captured a black Audi RS 6 exiting the garage on De-La-Chevallerie-Strasse in the early hours of Monday morning, adding crucial evidence to the ongoing investigation.
The discovery of the breach into the underground vault was made when the fire alarm prompted police and firefighters to inspect the building. Meanwhile, concerned customers have been urged to get in touch with Sparkasse bank, which has established a hotline for inquiries. On Tuesday, police secured the entrance of the branch after a significant number of customers gathered outside, seeking information about their safety and the status of their belongings.
An announcement on the bank's website confirmed that the branch would remain closed on Tuesday due to the incident. Sparkasse revealed that a staggering 95% of the safe deposit boxes had been compromised, indicating a very high likelihood that most customers were affected. Customers were informed that the contents of each box are insured up to €10,300 and were advised to check their home insurance policies for any additional coverage.
