The Christmas holidays had just ended, and the streets of Gelsenkirchen, an industrial city in western Germany, were still adorned with Christmas lights. However, on the morning of December 30th, bank employees were met with a shocking scene: a round hole large enough for an adult to pass through had appeared in the wall of the vault, and over 90% of the 3,200 safe deposit boxes had been pried open, with estimated losses of approximately 30 million euros (about 3.3 billion NT dollars). This robbery, like a real-life version of "Ocean's 8," not only stole wealth but also shook public confidence in traditional banks as the last line of defense.
Surgery in the underground vault
Investigations revealed that the criminal group targeted the vault on Christmas Eve, exploiting a blind spot in an adjacent parking lot. Using a 20-kilogram industrial drill, along with cooling water pipes and pumps, they spent several hours cutting through 45 centimeters of reinforced concrete. Once inside the vault, the thieves worked like a factory assembly line, prying open approximately 95% of the safe deposit boxes over three consecutive days. The entire process was conducted without gunfire, only the low-frequency vibrations of the drill bit. According to News.az , the meticulousness and industrial-grade standards of the operation led police to describe it as "like a special forces operation."
This "surgical operation" wasn't entirely without clues. At 6:15 AM on December 27th, drilling dust triggered a fire alarm. Police arrived but only conducted an external inspection, dismissing it as a false alarm and leaving. Forty-eight hours later, a second alarm sounded, revealing the truth behind the hole in the wall and the cement debris scattered on the ground. Surveillance footage captured a black Audi RS 6 loaded with stolen goods leaving, its license plate originating from Hanover, 200 kilometers away. The fact that both alarms were mistaken for false signals highlights the gap between automated monitoring and human judgment, allowing the thief to easily "work overtime" at crucial moments.
Insurance can't cover it: a black hole in depositors' assets
Victims gathered outside the bank, anxiously awaiting the results of the inventory count. According to Anadolu Agency estimates, the losses could reach €30 million, but most safe deposit boxes have insurance limits of only €10,000 to €12,000, far less than the actual cash, gold, and jewelry stored there. One man, his eyes red with tears, said:
"That's my retirement savings accumulated over 25 years."
The asymmetry between high-value assets and low-coverage protection makes safe deposit boxes seem safe but actually a "black hole" of insurance risks.
In 2025, amidst global political and economic turmoil, many viewed physical bank vaults as a safe haven. However, this robbery reveals the vulnerability of this "last bastion of traditional finance." When the black Audi disappeared on a German highway, it took not only €30 million but also the trust placed in the physical defenses of banks. Money kept in banks can vanish without a trace. While the traditional financial world still emphasizes security and controllability, new-era stablecoins can be frozen remotely after a theft. This robbery provides a new perspective on the new era of finance.
