Thieves Drill Into German Bank Vault and Steal €30m in One of Country’s Biggest Heists

Police in western Germany are investigating a major bank robbery after thieves used heavy drilling equipment to break into a vault and steal an estimated €30m in cash and valuables from a high street bank branch in the city of Gelsenkirchen.

The break in took place at a branch of the Sparkasse savings bank and was described by police as highly sophisticated. A spokesperson compared the operation to a Hollywood style crime, saying it appeared to have been very professionally executed.

According to investigators, the thieves drilled through to an underground vault room and forced open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes. The boxes reportedly contained cash, gold and jewellery belonging to private customers. Police believe the criminals carefully planned the operation and took advantage of the quiet Christmas period to avoid detection.

Authorities said the crime came to light only after a fire alarm was triggered in the early hours of Monday morning. Officers and firefighters were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered a large hole leading into the vault. By the time emergency services arrived, the suspects had already fled.

Police said initial findings suggest the perpetrators entered and escaped through an adjacent parking garage next to the bank building on Nienhofstrasse in the Buer district. Witnesses told investigators they saw several men carrying large bags in the stairwell of the garage overnight between Saturday and Sunday, though no immediate alarm was raised at the time.

Security camera footage reviewed by police reportedly shows a black Audi RS 6 leaving the garage via De La Chevallerie Strasse early on Monday morning. Investigators are now analysing video recordings from surrounding streets and businesses in an effort to trace the vehicle’s movements.

Despite the scale of the robbery, no arrests have been made so far and the suspects remain at large. Police have not disclosed how long the thieves spent inside the building, but experts believe the operation likely took several hours and required specialist tools and knowledge of the bank’s layout.

The heist has caused distress among customers whose valuables were stored in the vault. On Tuesday, police secured the entrance to the branch after a large crowd gathered outside demanding information. Some customers said they were frustrated by a lack of clear communication in the immediate aftermath.

One customer told German broadcaster Welt that he had been unable to sleep after learning about the robbery, saying his safe deposit box contained savings meant for his retirement. Similar concerns were echoed by others who waited outside the branch seeking answers.

Sparkasse has asked affected customers to contact the bank directly and has set up a hotline to handle inquiries. The bank said it is cooperating fully with authorities and assessing the scale of losses, though it has not commented publicly on potential compensation.

The case has drawn national attention due to the amount stolen and the apparent precision of the crime. German police say the investigation is ongoing and have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information about the vehicle or suspects to come forward.