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Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist: Suspects Elude Capture as Estimated Haul Climbs Toward €300 Million

Investigators describe a highly planned break-in using diamond drilling alongside anti-forensic measures.

Overview

  • German media now report estimates ranging from at least €100 million to as high as €300 million, with no official total confirmed.
  • Several perpetrators accessed the vault from an adjacent parking garage and drilled through a targeted wall section over roughly 12 hours.
  • The thieves reportedly used a portable toilet and dispersed chemicals to hinder DNA collection, then departed without leaving usable traces.
  • More than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes were said to be forced open, and many clients face limited insurance coverage of just over €10,000 per box.
  • Police efforts have expanded to round-the-clock operations reported at up to 300 officers, yet no arrests or recoveries have been announced.