Thieves broke into a German retail bank during the Christmas shutdown and emptied thousands of customer safe deposit boxes, escaping with valuables worth at least 10 million euros, police said Tuesday.
The burglary targeted a branch of Sparkasse in the western city of Gelsenkirchen, where investigators say the suspects drilled through a reinforced concrete wall to reach the vault while the bank was closed for the holidays.
According to police, the break in was discovered only after a fire alarm was triggered in the early hours of Monday, December 29. Most banks and shops in Germany close from the evening of December 24 through the Christmas period, creating what authorities believe was a narrow window of opportunity.
Once inside the vault, the suspects forced open several thousand deposit boxes, stealing cash, jewelry, and other valuables. Police described the total loss as a double digit million euro sum, though the final figure is still being assessed.
News of the theft sparked anger and anxiety among customers, dozens of whom gathered outside the closed branch on Tuesday demanding access and information. “Let us in,” protesters shouted as they waited outside the building.
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One customer told Welt television that he had barely slept since learning of the break in. He said he had rented a deposit box for 25 years and stored his retirement savings there. Another customer said his box contained family cash and jewelry.
Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Police said witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags through the stairwell of a nearby parking garage late Saturday night. Investigators also received reports of a black Audi RS 6 leaving the garage early Monday morning with masked occupants inside.
The vehicle’s license plate matched a car reported stolen in Hanover, more than 200 kilometers northeast of Gelsenkirchen, police said.
Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and appealing for additional witnesses as they try to trace the suspects’ movements before and after the burglary.