German bank hit by elaborate vault heist to remain closed

The German bank targeted in a spectacular burglary in which thieves made off with tens of millions of euros worth of cash and goods will remain closed for several more days as repair work continues, reported dpa.

The Sparkasse branch in the western city of Gelsenkirchen said additional time was needed to complete repairs after perpetrators drilled a large hole into the vault and looted safe deposit boxes a week ago. Customers will be informed once the branch reopens.

Specialists have since sealed the hole, it added.

Sparkasse staff are also still cataloguing valuables and documents left behind by the suspects, a process the bank said would take some time.

Emergency services discovered the elaborate break-in in the early hours of December 29 after a fire alarm was triggered. The perpetrators forced open nearly all 3,250 safety deposit boxes at the bank.

Investigators said the suspects gained access from an adjacent parking garage and entered an archive room, from which they drilled a large hole into the vault. Police believe the burglary may have taken place over several days.

The bank has begun sending letters to safety deposit box holders, asking them to provide inventories and proof of contents, such as photographs. More than 1,000 affected customers have already contacted a dedicated hotline, Sparkasse said.

Most owners of the roughly 150 undamaged safety deposit boxes have also been reached.

Initial estimates put the stolen loot roughly in line with the insured amount of around €30 million, though police said the actual losses could be significantly higher.