Police say a professional gang drilled into the underground vault of a Sparkasse bank in Gelsenkirchen and stole cash, gold and jewellery worth roughly €30 million after opening more than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes. Security footage reportedly shows a black Audi RS6 leaving the scene, and officers compared the operation to the film 'Ocean's Eleven.' Several victims say their actual losses exceed insured values. The suspects remain at large and the investigation continues.
€30 Million Heist: Gang Drills Into Sparkasse Vault, Opens 3,000+ Safety Boxes
Police officers stand in front of a savings bank branch in the German town of Gelsenkirchen, Dec. 30, 2025, after thieves broke into the bank's vault from a parking garage. / Credit: Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance/Getty
Police say a highly organized gang drilled through a parking garage wall into the underground vault of a Sparkasse savings bank in Gelsenkirchen and made off with cash, gold and jewellery with an estimated value of about €30 million.
Details of the Break-In
Authorities reported that the thieves forced open more than 3,000 safe-deposit boxes after gaining access from an adjacent parking garage. Investigators believe the perpetrators spent much of the weekend inside the vault room, using a large industrial drill and other tools to methodically break into boxes. The break-in was discovered in the early hours of Monday when a triggered fire alarm prompted emergency responders to find a hole leading into the vault.
Evidence and Suspects
Witnesses said they saw several men carrying large bags in the parking-garage stairwell during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Security-camera footage reportedly shows a black Audi RS6 leaving the garage early on Monday morning with masked occupants; police added the car's licence plate had been stolen earlier in Hanover.
'Indeed very professionally executed,' a police spokesman told AFP, likening the planning and precision to the film 'Ocean's Eleven.' 'A great deal of prior knowledge and/or a great deal of criminal energy must have been involved to plan and carry this out.'
Scale of Losses and Impact
Police estimated losses at around €30 million by calculating that the more than 3,000 boxes had an average insured value of €10,000 each. However, several victims have told officers that their actual losses far exceed the insured values of their safe-deposit boxes. The bank branch remained closed for security reasons amid threats against staff, and officers kept hundreds of distressed customers and onlookers at a distance while they secured the scene.
Wider Context and Investigation
The robbery has prompted renewed discussion about vault and deposit-box security across Europe, coming shortly after a high-profile theft at the Louvre in Paris in which state jewels were stolen. Police in Gelsenkirchen said the suspects remain at large and that the investigation is ongoing; forensic teams are examining CCTV, physical evidence from the scene, and any leads related to the vehicle and stolen licence plate.
What investigators are asking the public: anyone with information about a black Audi RS6 seen in the area during the weekend, or who observed suspicious activity at the parking garage, is urged to contact local police.
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