Thieves used a drill to breach Sparkasse vault over Christmas, looting 95% of customers’ safe deposit boxes
Thieves executed a meticulously planned heist, making off with an estimated $35 million (approximately €30 million) in cash and personal valuables from a bank vault in Gelsenkirchen over the Christmas holidays, according to police.
The break-in at a Sparkasse savings bank occurred sometime between Saturday evening and Monday morning. The thieves bypassed security by drilling through a thick concrete wall to access the vault, then forced open over 3,000 safe deposit boxes, impacting approximately 2,700 customers.
Police discovered the scene in disarray only after a fire alarm sounded from the bank shortly before 4:00am on Monday.
Investigators believe a specialized, industrial-grade drill was used in the operation. A police spokesperson described the heist as “professionally executed.”
Witnesses reported seeing several individuals carrying large bags through a nearby parking garage over the weekend, while security footage captured a black Audi RS 6 speeding away early Monday morning with masked occupants. The vehicle was confirmed as stolen from Hanover, approximately 200 kilometers distant.
Customers arrived at the bank on Tuesday to find it sealed off. Hundreds gathered, demanding answers after Sparkasse confirmed that 95% of safe deposit boxes were breached.
Police estimate the damage to be “in the two-digit million range,” according to a statement released Tuesday. The contents of each deposit box are insured up to €10,300, suggesting the total loss of at least €30 million, according to local media. However, many customers fear this will be insufficient to cover their losses and are scrambling to assess their additional insurance coverage.
The bank branch remains closed while police continue their investigation. Authorities have yet to make any arrests and the perpetrators remain at large.
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