Wed Dec 31 05:00:55 UTC 2025: News Article:
Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist: Millions Vanish in Christmas Break Vault Break-in
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany – A daring heist during the Christmas holiday has left a German city reeling after thieves tunneled into a bank vault and made off with an estimated €10 to €90 million ($11.7 million to $105.7 million) in cash, gold, and jewelry. The audacious crime occurred at a Sparkasse bank branch in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, while the city slept through the extended holiday break.
According to police, the perpetrators drilled through a thick concrete wall from an adjacent parking garage to access the underground vault. Once inside, they forced open over 3,000 safe deposit boxes. The break-in was discovered early Monday morning when a fire alarm was triggered, revealing the tunnel leading into the vault.
Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags through the parking garage stairwell between Saturday and Sunday. Security camera footage showed a black Audi RS 6, later identified as stolen from Hanover, speeding away from the scene early Monday.
Police described the operation as highly organized, drawing comparisons to a Hollywood-style heist. “A great deal of prior knowledge and/or a great deal of criminal energy must have been involved to plan and carry this out,” said a police spokesperson.
Hundreds of customers gathered outside the bank on Tuesday, demanding answers and expressing their distress. The branch remains closed due to security concerns and reported threats against staff.
“I couldn’t sleep last night. We’re getting no information,” one distraught customer told a local broadcaster, revealing he had used the safe deposit box for 25 years to store his retirement savings.
Sparkasse has established a hotline for affected customers and is working with insurers to process compensation claims. “We are shocked,” said bank spokesperson Frank Krallmann. “We are standing by our customers and hope that the perpetrators will be caught.”
The suspects remain at large, and investigations are ongoing. This heist may rank among the largest in German history.
First Piper 