Overview
- Affected customer Astrid Kaiser says Sparkasse offered her a bridge loan at more than 7% interest after thieves emptied her safe‑deposit box.
- The bank says advisors are available and it knows of no cases of acute financial hardship, citing bank secrecy to decline comment on individual contracts.
- Sparkasse director Michael Klotz apologized to victims at a public forum hosted by WDR in Gelsenkirchen‑Buer.
- Police chief Tim Frommeyer reports abundant traces and surveillance material and expresses confidence the perpetrators will be identified, though none have been caught.
- The December break‑in saw more than 3,000 boxes opened and valuables possibly worth tens or hundreds of millions stolen, with lawsuits filed over alleged security failings and automatic insurance capped at €10,300 per box.