Police bust drunk driver with €100,000 in stolen e-bikes near Kassel
Kassel (our platform)
Patrol officers from Kassel's central and northern police precincts intercepted a small van filled with stolen e-bikes worth tens of thousands of euros early Thursday morning. The operation followed a tip-off that high-value bicycles were being loaded into a parked box van in a courtyard in the city's northern district. Shortly after the vehicle—matching the reported license plate—began moving, officers pulled it over at around 5:30 a.m. Inside, they discovered 22 e-bikes, a gravel bike, and numerous bicycle batteries. Suspicions that the items were stolen were quickly confirmed.
During the stop, the 58-year-old driver reeked of alcohol. A breathalyzer test revealed a blood alcohol level of 1.4 per mille, leading to his arrest not only on suspicion of handling stolen goods but also for drunk driving. He was taken to the station, where a doctor drew a blood sample. The van was impounded and towed.
Investigators from the Regional Criminal Investigation Group's EG 4 unit have already linked 16 of the recovered bikes to specific theft reports filed with police. Efforts to match the remaining items and identify potential accomplices of the suspect are ongoing. The detained man, a Bulgarian national with an unclear place of residence and a prior record for property crimes, was placed in police custody. Given the risk of flight and evidence suggesting he traded stolen bikes to support himself, he will appear before a magistrate Thursday to determine whether he will be remanded in pretrial detention. The investigation continues.
Media inquiries: Ulrike Schaake Press Spokesperson Tel. +49 561 910 1020
Kassel Police Headquarters Grüner Weg 33 34117 Kassel Press Office
Phone: +49 561 910 1020–23 Fax: +49 611 32766 1010 Email: [email protected]
Outside office hours: Duty Officer Phone: +49 561 910 0 Email: [email protected]
