Germany: Third bank robbery reported in NRW in days
January 2, 2026
Safe-deposit boxes have been broken into again at a bank branch in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, marking the third such case in recent days.
After an incident in Bonn and a major vault break-in in Gelsenkirchen, police have now confirmed a third suspected bank robbery in Halle, near Bielefeld.
The Halle incident happened around midday on Tuesday during regular business hours, police confirmed on Friday.
What do we know about the third NRW bank robbery?
The perpetrators managed to break into four safe-deposit boxes at a local Sparkasse branch and completely emptied them.
According to police reports, the thieves were able to access the safe-deposit box area without force. It was not immediately clear if the room had been open or how they managed to get in.
Police have not yet stated how much was taken, but those affected have been informed.
Investigators are now hoping there may be witnesses who saw what happened and are calling for anyone who was around the bank at the time to get in touch.
Spate of robberies hits western Germany
The bank robbery in Halle is the third such incident in North Rhine-Westphalia in recent days.
Investigators in Bonn are focusing on a former employee after gold was stolen from two safe-deposit boxes at a Sparkasse branch in the city.
Police learned of the break-in on Dec. 17 and said gold worth a high six-figure sum was taken. A 22-year-old ex-staff member is under suspicion.
In Gelsenkirchen, thieves broke into almost all 3,250 customer safe-deposit boxes at a Sparkasse branch on Tuesday.
Investigators said they are working through a "flood" of tips. Despite the volume of information, police said there is still no clear lead.
"We're getting tips from all directions," a police spokesman said, noting that experts and investigators from other states have also contacted authorities.
Edited by: Karl Sexton
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