Overview

• Investigators confirmed that unknown perpetrators stole two liters of arsenic trichloride and three kilograms of high-purity arsenic granulate during the July 22 break-in at the Osterwieck specialist metals facility.
• Police mobilized around 200 officers, hazardous-materials teams and environmental specialists to secure the site and remove dispersed arsenic powder, lifting the danger alert by July 23.
• Authorities report no signs of environmental contamination and say all recovered containers were intact, with the remaining missing quantities still posing acute health risks even in minimal exposure.
• The Polizeiinspektion Magdeburg has offered a €5 000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen arsenic or the arrest of those responsible, warning the public not to handle suspicious items.
• The Landesverwaltungsamt Sachsen-Anhalt has launched an audit of the plant’s hazardous-materials protocols to assess compliance with safety regulations.