€30 Million Heist at German Bank: Thieves Drill Into Safe Deposit Boxes

Thieves used a large drill to break into a Sparkasse bank in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, stealing an estimated €30 million in cash and valuables from over 3,000 safe deposit boxes. The heist, compared to a Hollywood-style operation, occurred over the Christmas period, and the suspects remain at large. Most customers are likely affected, and the bank has advised checking insurance coverage.

Thieves carried out a major heist at a high street bank in western Germany, using a large drill to break into a safe and steal an estimated €30 million (£26 million; $35 million) in cash and valuables, according to police reports. The robbery took place at a Sparkasse savings bank branch in Gelsenkirchen and has been described by authorities as “very professionally executed,” with a police spokesman likening it to the meticulously planned Hollywood heist film Ocean’s Eleven.
During the break-in, the perpetrators forced open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes, which contained money, gold, and jewellery. Police were alerted to the crime when a fire alarm was triggered in the early hours of Monday morning. So far, no arrests have been made, and the suspects remain at large, leaving investigators to determine how the theft was carried out and how the perpetrators managed to escape undetected.
Authorities believe the thieves took advantage of the “quiet Christmas days” to execute the robbery at the bank’s Nienhofstrasse branch in the Buer district. Preliminary investigations suggest the suspects gained access to the bank, and later fled, through an adjacent parking garage. Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags in the garage stairwell overnight from Saturday into Sunday, indicating a carefully coordinated plan.
Video surveillance footage reportedly shows a black Audi RS 6 leaving the garage on De-La-Chevallerie-Strasse in the early hours of Monday morning. The underground vault room, which had been drilled into, was discovered only after the fire alarm went off, prompting police and fire brigade personnel to search the building.
Sparkasse has asked all affected customers to contact the bank and has set up a dedicated hotline to provide guidance. Police secured the entrance to the branch on Tuesday after a large crowd of anxious customers gathered outside seeking information about the status of their valuables. One man, speaking to the Welt broadcaster, said: “I couldn’t sleep last night. We’re getting no information,” adding that the branch contained his retirement savings.
The bank issued a statement on its website confirming that the branch would remain closed on Tuesday following the incident. Sparkasse further explained that approximately 95% of customers’ safe deposit boxes had been forced open, making it highly likely that many clients were affected. The bank reassured customers that the contents of each safe deposit box are insured up to €10,300 and advised clients to check whether they have additional coverage through their home insurance policies.
Authorities continue to investigate the case, focusing on identifying the suspects and recovering the stolen valuables. The scale and sophistication of the heist have raised concerns over security at financial institutions during holiday periods and highlighted the challenges of protecting high-value assets stored in bank vaults. The investigation is ongoing as police review surveillance footage, interview witnesses, and work to track down the perpetrators responsible for one of the largest bank robberies in recent German history.