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Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist May Top €100 Million as Police Publish Images of Masked Suspects

Investigators are cataloguing what remains and pursuing tips after a drilled vault breach opened nearly all 3,250 safe‑deposit boxes.

Overview

  • Security sources cited by dpa say customer declarations suggest losses could exceed €100 million, while police still speak of a mid double‑digit million sum pending verification.
  • Newly released surveillance images show three masked figures—one with red gloves, another with green—and two suspected getaway vehicles, a black Audi RS6 and a white Mercedes van with fake plates.
  • The branch remains closed as specialists have sealed the vault hole and staff, under notarial supervision, inventory undisturbed contents and contact box holders about documentation and insurance.
  • The intruders accessed an archive, drilled a large opening into the vault, likely used a specialist core drill they removed afterward, and may have operated over several days, according to investigators.
  • In a separate Bonn/Köln case, police confirmed a probe into missing gold from two boxes and said a 22‑year‑old former Sparkasse employee was briefly detained and released, with no link to Gelsenkirchen.