Valuables Worth €30 Million Stolen in Major Bank Heist in Germany

One of the largest bank thefts in Germany in recent years has come to light after valuables worth an estimated 30 million euros (around USD 33 million) were stolen from a bank in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen.

Police said the robbery appeared to be the work of a highly organised group, citing the level of planning and coordination involved. Investigators believe the suspects gained access to the bank through an underground parking garage before breaking into the vault area.

According to officials, the burglars drilled through a wall from the parking facility and entered the safe-deposit section, where they forced open thousands of lockers containing cash, gold and jewellery. The group then escaped using the same underground route.

More than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes were damaged during the break-in. Based on insurance estimates that place the average value of each locker at around 10,000 euros, police have made an initial assessment putting the total loss at approximately 30 million euros.

The theft was discovered after a fire alarm went off inside the building, prompting emergency services to respond. It was only after responders arrived that the scale of the break-in became clear.

Several witnesses later told police they saw men carrying heavy bags in the parking garage stairwell during the night.

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage that reportedly shows a black Audi RS 6 leaving the underground garage in the early hours of Monday. Police said the occupants were masked and that the vehicle was using a number plate stolen earlier from the northern German city of Hanover.

Over the past two days, customers gathered outside the affected bank branch seeking information about their valuables. Media reports said many had stored gold and jewellery in their lockers, with some claiming their losses could exceed insured limits, according to DW.

Police have advised customers not to file individual complaints at this stage and instead coordinate directly with the bank. The bank is collecting damage reports and forwarding them to investigators on a daily basis.

The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made so far.

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