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Chemnitz Police Release Speed‑Camera Photo in Toyota Theft Spree Probe

Investigators are turning to a court‑approved public search to identify a suspect in what they say is an organized car‑theft ring.

Overview

  • Police opened a public manhunt using a speed‑camera image of an unknown man, with prosecutors and a Chemnitz court authorizing the appeal and the photo hosted on the police website due to publishing rules.
  • In one early case on March 9, thieves stole a blue Toyota Yaris Cross from Steinwiese in Chemnitz, and a camera later caught a suspect driving it through the Schottenbergtunnel in Meißen.
  • Two more Toyota Corollas were reported stolen in Chemnitz in recent days, and police now count 15 cases since early March targeting nearly new vehicles.
  • Detectives are investigating the series as serious gang theft, a charge used for coordinated repeat offenders, and they are seeking tips at 0371 387‑3448 about the man in the photo or his whereabouts.
  • Officers urge Toyota owners—especially Corolla and Yaris Cross drivers—to add a steering‑wheel lock and extra electronic anti‑theft gear, and they ask residents to report possible short‑term storage sites like workshops or barns; police had earlier put losses at about €480,000.