Overview
- Thieves accessed the Sparkasse Buer vault from a neighboring garage over Christmas, core-drilled a wall, and opened nearly all of about 3,250 safe-deposit boxes.
- Surveillance video from the underground garage shows three masked suspects entering in an Audi and a Mercedes, according to police.
- Investigators are reviewing a tip that the branch’s alarm system was defective during the break-in.
- Dozens of customers have retained lawyer Burkhard Benecken, who says clients report losses often over €100,000 and signals civil action if security failures are confirmed.
- The bank’s per-box compensation cap of €10,300 faces criticism from victims, and a local security expert points to wall penetration as a key vulnerability despite other safeguards.