In a meticulously executed operation during the holiday quiet period, criminal perpetrators breached a high-security bank vault in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, making off with property valued potentially up to €90 million ($105.7 million). The targeted Sparkasse bank branch has confirmed that approximately 2,700 customers have been impacted by this sophisticated theft, which authorities are investigating as potentially one of the largest bank heists in German history.
Law enforcement officials revealed that the burglary was discovered when emergency responders answered a fire alarm activation at approximately 4 a.m. on Monday. Upon arrival, police and firefighters encountered a carefully drilled entry point through the vault’s basement wall and found the security boxes systematically ransacked. Investigators have determined that industrial-grade drilling equipment was employed to penetrate the reinforced structure.
Critical evidence has emerged from witness accounts and surveillance footage obtained from an adjacent parking facility. Multiple witnesses reported observing several individuals transporting substantial bags throughout the weekend. Corresponding video evidence captured masked figures operating what has been identified as a stolen vehicle in the early hours of Monday.
The bank premises remained sealed throughout Tuesday as forensic experts conducted their investigation, while approximately 200 distressed customers gathered outside seeking access to their security deposits. The Sparkasse bank has initiated crisis response protocols and is coordinating with affected clients.
Gelsenkirchen, situated approximately 192 kilometers northwest of Frankfurt, now stands at the center of an intensive criminal investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The deliberate timing during holiday closures and the technical precision demonstrated suggest the work of highly organized criminal professionals with advanced knowledge of security systems and structural engineering.