Robbers got over 300 million – “Like Oceans Eleven”

TT

Updated 16.57 | Published 16.33

 

Police officers stand in front of the bank where the robbery took place. Photo: Christoph Reichwein/Apa Via AP/TT

A gang of robbers in Germany have come across a loot equivalent to just over 300 million kronor after drilling their way into a bank vault, police said on Tuesday.

The heist took place in the western city of Gelsenkirchen and the perpetrators are said to have managed to drain over 3,000 compartments containing money, jewels and gold inside the vault.

Police investigators estimate that the robbers spent a large part of the past weekend inside the vault working to break open the safes. It was not until early Monday morning that authorities realized what had happened when a fire alarm went off and firefighters and ambulances arrived at the scene and discovered the hole.

A police source told AFP that the burglary was “very professionally carried out” and resembles the Hollywood film “Oceans Eleven.”

“A large amount of prior knowledge and/or a large number of criminals are required to be able to plan and carry out something like this,” the source said.

The gang of robbers is still at large.