Masked gang drills into German Bank, loots Rs 300 Crore

A masked gang carried out a high-value bank robbery in western Germany by drilling through a wall of a Sparkasse savings bank branch in Gelsenkirchen and looting cash and valuables worth about 30 million euros, equivalent to nearly Rs. 300 crore.
The incident took place at the Sparkasse branch in Gelsenkirchen, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, when the bank remained closed due to the Christmas holiday period. The robbery came to light on December 29 after a fire alarm was triggered at the bank building in the early hours, prompting police to rush to the spot.
On inspection, officers discovered that the robbers had drilled a hole through the bank wall and gained access to the underground vault. Bank authorities were immediately alerted, and the premises were secured. Surveillance footage showed masked individuals entering the vault area and breaking open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes. Large quantities of cash and jewellery were stolen in the meticulously planned operation, police said.
Investigators later confirmed that the vehicle used by the gang had been stolen from eastern Germany a few days earlier. News of the daring heist drew local residents near the bank, leading to brief tension in the area.
Police have registered a case and launched an extensive manhunt, stating that efforts are under way to identify and apprehend those involved in one of the biggest bank robberies in recent German history.