Thieves Make Off With Millions in German Bank Heist
The New York Times••world
Key Points:
- A group of masked thieves conducted a meticulously planned heist at Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen in western Germany, breaking into 95% of the bank’s 3,250 personal lockboxes by drilling through a thick wall to access the safe.
- The stolen contents are insured for at least 31 million euros ($36 million), but the actual value may be higher due to undeclared valuables, making this one of the most significant bank robberies in recent German history.
- The robbers used a black Audi station wagon with stolen plates and a white Mercedes-Benz van to transport the loot, forcibly lifting a garage barrier for the van’s entry and exit; a fire alarm was triggered at 3:58 a.m. on the day of the
