To find any leads in the investigation of the Sparkasse bank break-in in Gelsenkirchen, the police decided to interview all victims - about 3000 people. The robbery is referred to as the largest in the history of Germany, writes DW.
The police in Gelsenkirchen announced that they have decided to interview all victims of the robbery at the Sparkasse branch in the city around New Year's. This break-in is referred to as the largest in the history of Germany. The number of those planned to be interviewed will be around 3000 people, according to a police statement published on Saturday, January 17.
A Whole Office Rented for the Interrogations
"We ask for understanding that due to the huge number of victims - about 3000 people - conducting the interviews will take several weeks," the statement said.
According to the police, three weeks after the robbery were spent on "logistical preparation" for conducting the interviews. For this purpose, a separate office space was rented in Gelsenkirchen. There, law enforcement officers will meet with the victims.
The authorities are not summoning the victims for questioning but are waiting for them to contact them and schedule a conversation. The information obtained about the stolen items is promised to be added to the case materials and used in the investigation.
The Robbery of the Sparkasse Bank in Gelsenkirchen
On the morning of December 29, it was discovered that more than 3200 safety deposit boxes containing money, gold, and jewelry had been broken into at the Sparkasse branch in Gelsenkirchen. The criminals gained access to the vault from the adjacent parking lot by drilling through the wall. It was previously reported that about 2700 people were affected, as some had more than one safe.
The exact amount of damage is still unknown, as the contents of the boxes often fall under banking secrecy laws. According to the dpa agency and the Bild newspaper, it could reach 100 million euros, making this robbery the largest in terms of damage in the history of Germany.
According to witness testimonies, on the evening of December 28, men with large bags were seen on the stairs of the multi-story parking lot. Surveillance camera footage showed that the next morning a black Audi RS 6 left the parking lot, and the people inside were wearing masks. The license plate of the vehicle had been stolen earlier in Hanover. The police described the robbers' actions as "very professional."
On December 29 and 30, dissatisfied customers came to the bank branch. Many stated that their losses significantly exceeded the amount of insurance. Sparkasse indicated that each safe was insured for up to 10,300 euros. In early January, the police reported that they had no leads in the investigation, with only the license plate of the Audi RS 6 found.
