Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Gelsenkirchen Heist Inquiry Widens as Sparkasse Reopens Foyer

A painstaking investigation now collides with growing legal action from customers.

Overview

  • Police say about 230 officers in BAO “Bohrer” are cataloguing hundreds of thousands of items and reviewing roughly 10,000 hours of video and 8 terabytes of data, a process expected to take months.
  • Officials detailed entry via a manipulated escape door from a parking garage and a 40‑centimeter bore into the vault area, with insider assistance deemed plausible by NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul.
  • Media reports describe taped motion sensors, swapped locks, and a water‑cooled core drill fed from a restroom hose, while the bank maintains its security met the recognized state of the art.
  • The self‑service foyer is open daily from 6 to 23 hours under security, but the main branch and safe‑deposit area remain closed as evidence work continues.
  • Lawyers say they represent hundreds of victims and are preparing suits, citing a €10,300 per‑box insurance cap and communication concerns, as police also investigate a separate ATM blast in Witten and seek witnesses.