Daring German Bank Heist Nets €30 Million in cash, other valuables

Thieves have executed a bold heist at a Sparkasse savings bank branch in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany, stealing an estimated €30 million in cash and valuables.

German police reported that the suspects used a large industrial drill to break into the bank’s underground vault, forcibly opening over 3,000 safe deposit boxes containing money, gold, and jewellery. Authorities described the operation as “very professionally executed,” comparing it to a Hollywood-style robbery.

The crime was discovered early Monday after a fire alarm was triggered at the bank’s Nienhofstrasse branch in the Buer district. Investigators believe the thieves exploited the quiet Christmas period, entering the bank and fleeing through an adjacent parking garage.

Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags in the garage staircase overnight from Saturday into Sunday. CCTV footage confirmed a black Audi RS 6 leaving the garage early Monday morning. No arrests have been made, and the suspects remain at large.

Sparkasse stated that around 95 per cent of customers’ safe deposit boxes were breached, warning that most customers were likely affected. The bank has established a hotline for affected clients and confirmed that each box is insured up to €10,300, advising customers to check for additional coverage under their home insurance policies.