Banküberfall in Stuhr: Schließfächer aufgebrochen – Polizei ermittelt

Police say the perpetrators gained access to the bank’s basement through a skylight on Friday during the bank’s lunch break. They then pried open a metal grate window and forced open several doors to reach the safety deposit boxes. Investigators determined that 14 of the 728 boxes were breached. The contents and value of the stolen items remain unclear, a spokesperson said Saturday. Police are investigating.

Unidentified Liquid Raises Concerns

The break-in wasn’t detected by an alarm, but rather when bank employees began to feel unwell, according to police. The cause was an unidentified liquid sprayed by the perpetrators in the basement – possibly to destroy evidence. The nature of the substance and its purpose are still unknown. Firefighters found no elevated readings, officials said. Two bank employees required treatment from paramedics.

Bank to Notify Affected Customers

Customers of the bank expressed concern following the incident. “It’s a challenging situation,” said one customer who rents a safety deposit box at the Stuhr branch and is seeking information. Another customer emphasized the uncertainty, hoping they weren’t affected. “What was inside could be significant.” The bank stated that customers are now responsible for insuring their own safety deposit box contents. We see currently unknown how many customers have done so, and the bank will not be liable for losses. According to the bank, all 14 affected customers will be contacted by phone this weekend. All other safety deposit box holders will be informed by Monday. The branch is expected to reopen normally on Monday, the bank said in a statement. The bank declined to comment on the contents of the boxes, citing the ongoing investigation.

Recent Bank Break-ins

Here’s the third bank break-in in recent months. In late January, thieves broke into safety deposit boxes at a bank in Wilhelmshaven. And in December, a bank robbery in Gelsenkirchen garnered attention, with perpetrators breaking into over 3,000 safety deposit boxes and stealing millions of euros worth of money and valuables.

Authorities are warning customers about potential phishing attempts related to the Wilhelmshaven case, urging them to change their online banking credentials.

One victim was asked to change his online banking login information and subsequently had 70,000 euros stolen from his account.

The perpetrators in that case fled in a black vehicle with falsified “H” license plates.