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Police Hunt Vault Burglars After Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist Opened Nearly All Safe‑Deposit Boxes

Investigators now concentrate on parking‑garage surveillance, including a high‑performance car carrying a stolen Hanover plate.

Overview

  • Police report that nearly all of roughly 3,250 safe‑deposit boxes were opened, leaving more than 2,500 customers potentially affected.
  • The break‑in was found early Monday after a fire alarm, and a separate alarm at the site on Saturday is now part of the inquiry.
  • Perpetrators are believed to have entered via an adjoining parking garage, moved through internal doors to an archive room, and drilled into the vault with specialist equipment.
  • Surveillance images show masked suspects using a white van and a black Audi described as high‑powered with a stolen Hanover license plate, and investigators are tracking vehicle movements.
  • Authorities estimate losses in the mid double‑digit millions of euros, while the bank’s contractual coverage is €10,300 per box and customers must document contents to pursue compensation.