Archive · 1 Jan 2026
German Bank Heist Steals $35 Million
Some robbers broke into a bank in Germany using a big drill.
They got into more than 3,000 safe boxes and took money, gold, and jewelry worth about $35 million.
The police don't know who did it yet, and the robbers are still out there.
The robbery happened during the quiet Christmas period, and the bank only found out when a fire alarm went off.
Some people who had things in the safe boxes were very upset because they didn't know what happened to their savings.
The robbers used a fancy car to escape, and the car's license plate was stolen from far away.
The bank is closed now, and the police are still looking for the robbers.
Robbers used a large drill to break into a German bank's vault room and steal cash and valuables worth approximately $35 million (30 million euros).
The heist occurred in Gelsenkirchen, with thieves breaking into more than 3,250 safe deposit boxes containing money, gold, and jewelry.
The robbery was discovered on December 29, 2023, after a fire alarm went off, during the quiet Christmas period.
Witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags in a nearby parking garage and a black Audi RS 6 with masked men leaving early on Monday morning.
The vehicle used in the getaway had a stolen license plate from Hanover, over 200 kilometers away from Gelsenkirchen.
- Who
- Unknown robbers
- What
- Theft of cash and valuables from a bank
- When
- Between December 24 and December 29, 2023 (reported on December 30, 2023)
- Where
- Gelsenkirchen, Germany
- Why
- Motive not specified
Bank Customers
Bank Management
Compensation for Losses
Bank Customers
Customers demand full compensation for their losses, as many had savings and valuables exceeding the insured value.
Bank Management
The bank has not yet publicly stated how they will compensate customers, focusing instead on the investigation.
- Location
- Gelsenkirchen, Germany
- Amount Stolen
- $35 million (30 million euros)
- Method
- Large drill to break into vault
- Items Stolen
- Cash, gold, jewelry
- Safe Deposit Boxes Broken Into
- 3,250 (95% of total)
- Suspects
- At large
- Discovery Date
- December 29, 2023
- Report Date
- December 30, 2023
- Vehicle Used
- Black Audi RS 6 (stolen license plate from Hanover)
Sources
Robbers Steal $35 Million In Cash, Valuables From German Bank: Police
Robbers drill into German bank, steal cash, gold and jewelry worth $35 million
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Thieves Drill into a German Bank Vault and Steal Euro 30 Million
Massive Christmas bank heist in Germany: Thieves drill into vault, loot $35 million
Thieves drill into German bank vault, steal Euro 30 million in overnight heist
Real-life ‘Ocean’s Eleven’: How robbers drilled into German bank vault and stole millions in cash, valuables
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Ocean’s Eleven–style Christmas heist shocks Germany – Thieves drill into bank vault, loot millions
German ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Heist: Thieves Drill Into Bank Vault, Vanish With €30 Million