German bank heist: Thieves use drill to steal €30m from savings bank

Thieves executed a major heist at a Sparkasse savings bank branch in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany, using a large drill to breach an underground vault and steal around €30 million in cash, gold, and jewelry.​

The robbers targeted over 3,000 safe deposit boxes during the quiet post-Christmas period, forcing open about 95% of them over the holiday weekend. Police discovered the break-in early Monday after a fire alarm triggered, revealing entry from a neighboring parking garage. Witnesses saw men carrying large bags, and surveillance captured a black Audi RS6 fleeing the scene.​

No suspects have been identified or arrested as of late December 2025, with authorities noting the operation’s sophistication, likening it to Ocean’s Eleven. The bank set up a hotline for affected customers, many of whom reported losses exceeding insurance limits of €10,300 per box. Over 200 customers gathered outside the cordoned branch seeking updates.