Massive Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist Drains Nearly 3,250 Safe Deposit Boxes

A daring vault breach left thousands of customers reeling—yet no one knows what was lost. Now, calls for stricter safe box rules are louder than ever.

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2026 January 7 . 5:21 PM

1 min read

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Criminal investigators demand control mechanisms for safety deposit boxes - Massive Gelsenkirchen Bank Heist Drains Nearly 3,250 Safe Deposit Boxes

Thieves have stolen valuables from nearly all 3,250 safe deposit boxes at a Sparkasse bank in Gelsenkirchen. The break-in was discovered on December 29 after a fire alarm alerted authorities. Investigators believe the loot may have been taken over several days.

The burglars targeted the Gelsenkirchen-Buer branch of Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen, drilling a large hole into the vault after breaching an archive room. Almost every customer box—between 3,200 and 3,250—was compromised in what officials describe as a highly organised operation.

Banks currently have no way of tracking what is stored inside safe deposit boxes. Oliver Huth, state chairman of the German Criminal Police Association (BDK) in North Rhine-Westphalia, warns that this lack of oversight allows anyone to hide cash without scrutiny. He pointed to a past case where a kindergarten teacher stored €300,000 in a box, suggesting some users exploit the system.

A lawyer representing affected clients has rejected claims that the stolen items were illicit. Many renters, they argue, keep family heirlooms or other legitimate belongings in the boxes. Huth, however, insists that while some may be innocent victims, the unregulated nature of these boxes makes them attractive to criminals.

The BDK is now pushing for stricter controls on safe deposit boxes, citing their potential role in money laundering. Under the EU’s sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, these boxes remain entirely unregulated.

The Gelsenkirchen heist has exposed gaps in oversight, with authorities unable to verify the contents of safe deposit boxes. Calls for stricter regulations are growing, as the lack of monitoring raises concerns about their use in illegal activities. The investigation into the robbery is ongoing.