Thieves rob a bank in Germany of €30 million in Ocean's Eleven-style

A major savings bank in Germany was robbed of around 30 million euros after thieves broke into thousands of safe deposit boxes - a crime that closely resembled scenes from the heist film Ocean’s Eleven.

 

According to an AFP report, a group of thieves broke into a branch of Sparkasse in Germany's Gelsenkirchen. The break-in, which went unnoticed for days, was discovered on Monday morning after a fire alarm went off. Emergency services later found that the bank’s underground vault had been breached.

How was the heist carried out?

Police said the criminals drilled their way into the bank’s underground vault from a nearby parking garage. Investigators believe the gang stayed inside the vault for much of the weekend, slowly breaking open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes.

 

 

The method used was highly planned and secretive, much like Ocean’s Eleven, where the characters carefully study a building, enter through hidden routes, and spend hours inside a vault without being detected.

 

According to the report, witnesses reported seeing several men carrying large bags inside the parking garage stairwell late at night between Saturday and Sunday. Security camera footage later showed a black Audi RS6 leaving the garage early on Monday morning with masked people inside. Police said the car’s licence plate had been stolen earlier from another German city.

 

Police say that each safe deposit box was insured for an average of 10,000 euros. However, several victims told the police that the actual value of their stolen items was much higher than what was insured, the report said.

'Very professionally carried out'

A police spokesperson described the robbery as "very professionally carried out" and compared it directly to Ocean’s Eleven. He said the crime clearly required detailed planning, technical knowledge, and strong coordination among the criminals.

 

The thieves remain at large. The bank remained closed for security reasons, especially after threats were made against staff members, the report said.