Overview
- In Velbert-Birth around 1:20 a.m. on December 27, an eyewitness reported three masked people stealing cigarette packs from a blown-open machine before fleeing.
- A separate blast in southern Weimar early Sunday in the Legefeld/Holzdorf area sent officers to the scene after a loud detonation woke residents.
- The Weimar perpetrators escaped with cash and cigarettes, according to police in Jena.
- The Velbert machine was completely destroyed, and an immediate search by responding officers did not locate suspects.
- Criminal police examined the Weimar site and are following several leads, while Polizei Velbert appealed for information at 02051 946-6110.