After a high-profile break-in at a savings bank in Gelsenkirchen, police are asking all affected safe deposit box holders to come forward for questioning. The interviews are set to begin on Monday and will take place in specially rented office spaces in Gelsenkirchen, local police said on Saturday. A large number of officers will be deployed for the process.
Because of the sheer scale of the case, with around 3,000 victims, the questioning is expected to take several weeks. Police said this required “extensive logistical planning.” To arrange an interview appointment, safe deposit box holders must contact police via a dedicated telephone number set up specifically for this purpose. Officers have urged those affected not to show up for questioning without prior notice.
During the interviews, victims will have the opportunity to provide information about the contents of their safe deposit boxes. “This information flows directly into the investigations and can provide new leads for identifying the perpetrators,” police said. Victims will also be offered support services on site if needed.
The break-in took place on 29 December, when the perpetrators drilled a hole into the bank’s vault room from an adjacent car park. They broke open around 3,200 safe deposit boxes and stole their contents, including cash, jewellery and gold. With an insured value of more than ten thousand euros per box, the estimated total damage exceeds 30 million euros.
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