Ankara: Victims of a bank heist in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen say the theft was targeted, as nearly all of the more than 3,000 looted safe deposit boxes belonged to Turkish and Arab customers. Last weekend, thieves broke into the local branch of the publicly owned Sparkasse savings bank over several hours, drilling through reinforced concrete walls and forcing open 95% of the personal safes filled with valuables like cash, gold, and jewelry.
According to Anadolu Agency, several victims, including Unal Mete, Cihat Erdem Bostanci, Gungor Kalin, and Emre Yildirim, spoke about the incident, raising concerns over possible negligence and a lack of transparency by authorities and the bank. Mete expressed shock over the ease with which the state bank was robbed. He highlighted that while the customers' safe deposit boxes were looted, the bank's main vault remained untouched. Mete suspects that the branch was intentionally targeted due to the foreign origin of the majority of its customers.
Victims have also pointed out the disparity in the insurance coverage provided by the bank, which insures each box for up to about £10,000. This amount is significantly lower than the value of the items typically stored inside. The estimated loss based on the insured amount is about £30 million ($35 million), but the actual loss could be much higher. Customers have been asked to submit purchase receipts for valuables, a demand that many find unrealistic.
Cihat Erdem Bostanci, another victim, raised questions about the security measures at the bank, noting that the operation required industrial-level equipment and would have generated significant noise and dust. He also mentioned previous attempts to increase his insurance coverage, which were denied by the bank.
Gungor Kalin criticized the dismissive attitude of the bank staff after the burglary, emphasizing the personal nature of the loss. He also questioned the proximity of a police station just 200 meters from the bank and why officers did not arrive sooner. According to Deutsche Welle, the heist only came to light after a fire alarm was triggered, revealing potential lapses in the security response.
Emre Yildirim, with three generations of his family banking with Sparkasse, labeled the incident a public scandal. He noted the lack of an official statement from authorities and questioned the inadequate response to the fire alarm triggered over the weekend. The investigation continues, with local police stating that no suspects have been identified or apprehended.