German businesses were closed for Christmas on Thursday and Friday last week, and investigators suspect the gang may have spent the holidays and weekend inside, breaking open the deposit boxes. Police officers stand in front of the savings bank branch in the Buer district of Gelsenkirchen. A police spokesman told AFP that the break-in was “indeed very professionally executed”, likening it to the heist movie Ocean’s Eleven. Policemen and concerned customers stand outside the bank in Gelsenkirchen after a Christmas holiday break-in. The police spokesman said that “disgruntled customers” were outside the bank branch which did not open for security reasons, after threats had been made against the employees.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 30, 2025 19:11 UTC