Gelsenkirchen Sparkasse Bank Heist 2025: A €30 Million Christmas Job

They didn't need a computer virus to bypass the security. Instead, they used a drill. A massive heist at a German bank has left police hunting for a professional crew that walked away with €30m in valuables.

Police in western Germany are investigating what they've called a "highly professional" break-in at a Sparkasse branch. Using the quiet Christmas period to their advantage, thieves accessed the bank's vault via an adjacent parking garage. They systematically forced open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes containing gold, jewelry, and cash.

The heist was only discovered early Monday morning when a fire alarm went off, likely triggered by the drilling process. Witnesses reported several men carrying heavy bags in the garage over the weekend. Security footage shows a black Audi RS 6 speeding away from the scene. As of December 30, 2025, no arrests have been made.

Sparkasse has warned its customers that the likelihood of their belongings being stolen is extremely high, as 95% of the safe deposit boxes were compromised. While the bank's standard insurance covers up to €10,300 per box, many victims are worried that this won't cover the full value of their lost family heirlooms.