Mystery heist in Germany: Burglars break into safe-deposit boxes as police hunt suspects

Unknown burglars broke into several safe-deposit boxes at a bank branch in the town of Stuhr, located in Lower Saxony in northern Germany, police confirmed on Saturday, launching an investigation into the incident.

German authorities said the perpetrators have not yet been identified, and it remains unclear what valuables may have been stolen. Police explained that determining the contents of the boxes is difficult, as only customers know what was stored inside.

According to investigators, the bank houses a total of 728 safe-deposit boxes, of which 14 were forcibly opened during the break-in.

Officials confirmed that all remaining boxes were left untouched, dw.com reports.

The burglary is believed to have taken place between noon and 2 p.m. German time. Witnesses reported seeing three men dressed in blue overalls walking toward a vehicle parked outside the bank around midday, shortly before the crime was discovered.

The incident came to light when a bank employee entered the basement area after returning from lunch and noticed a strong, pungent odor that caused nausea.

Emergency responders later discovered an unidentified liquid on the vault doors but confirmed it posed no health risk.

Two bank employees received medical attention at the scene as a precaution.

The heist follows another major bank burglary in Germany last month, during which thieves reportedly stole around €30 million after drilling into a vault at a bank in Gelsenkirchen, raising renewed concerns about organized bank crimes across the country.