Thieves Steal €30 Million, Loot 3,000 Safe Deposit Boxes in Major German Bank Heist

Mohammedia – Thieves carried out one of the largest bank break-ins in recent years in western Germany, drilling into an underground vault at a Sparkasse branch in the city of Gelsenkirchen and stealing cash and valuables estimated at around €30 million, according to police and local authorities.

The burglary targeted a branch located on Nienhofstrasse in the Buer district and was carried out during the “quiet Christmas period,” police said.

Investigators say the perpetrators gained access to the building and used heavy drilling equipment to break into the vault room, where more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes were forced open.

The boxes reportedly contained cash, gold and jewellery belonging to private customers.

The crime was discovered in the early hours of Monday after a fire alarm was triggered inside the building.

Police and firefighters were dispatched to the scene and found extensive damage to the vault area.

Initial investigations indicate that the suspects entered and exited the premises through an adjacent parking garage.

Witnesses later told police they had seen several men carrying large bags in the garage stairwell overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Video footage reviewed by investigators shows a black Audi RS 6 leaving the parking garage onto De-La-Chevallerie-Strasse early on Monday morning. Police have confirmed that the vehicle is a key focus of the investigation.

A spokesperson described the break-in as highly professional, citing the scale of the operation and the tools used to access the vault.

As of now, no arrests have been made and the perpetrators remain at large. Forensic teams continue to examine the scene, analyze surveillance footage and gather witness statements.

Police have secured the bank branch and restricted access to the area while the investigation is ongoing.

The incident has caused distress among affected customers. On Tuesday, a large number of people gathered outside the branch seeking information about their belongings, prompting police to cordon off the entrance.

Sparkasse has set up a hotline and advised customers with safe deposit boxes at the branch to contact the bank directly.

Some customers told local media they were struggling to obtain details about potential losses, with one man saying the vault had contained his savings for retirement.

Authorities have not provided further details on the value of individual losses or the timeline for compensating customers, stating that the investigation remains active and complex.