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Large-scale police operation: gun joke” at Laim S-Bahn station!
A passenger's joke about a weapon on the S-Bahn in Laim triggered a major police operation. There was no weapon.
Large-scale police operation: gun joke” at Laim S-Bahn station!
A bad joke led to a major police operation in Munich on Tuesday evening. At around 7:40 p.m., a train driver on S-Bahn line 3 in the direction of Holzkirchen reported that a passenger had claimed that he was armed. The man was previously noticed for his aggressive behavior and loud screaming. Whether the joke was really serious or not only became clear during the subsequent investigation.
After the federal police found out about the message, they reacted quickly and sent several patrols to the Laim S-Bahn station. However, the man had already gotten off the S-Bahn when the emergency services arrived. This didn't leave the officers unimpressed and they immediately launched a local search, while also reviewing video recordings from the platform to get clues about the suspect.
On the trail of the suspect
The analysis of the video recordings gave the investigators further clues: The man, a 56-year-old from Gröbenzell, could be observed leaving the platform and changing his outer clothing before continuing on another S-Bahn towards Pasing. When we arrived at the Pasing S-Bahn station, another video analysis revealed that the suspect was walking towards the main entrance to the station.
The federal police finally found the man in a shop in the station building and took him into custody. During the search it turned out that he was not actually carrying a weapon. Instead, the 56-year-old explained that his comment was meant as “pain.”
Legal consequences
Although the man made his statement as a joke, feigning threats can have serious consequences. As the Federal Police makes clear, this not only triggers major police operations, but can also lead to criminal prosecution. According to Section 241 of the Criminal Code, threats are taken seriously and there is the possibility of a fine or a prison sentence of up to one year. It is therefore being examined whether the Gröbenzell resident has to bear the costs for the extensive police operation.
In this case, responsibility lies not only in the intention of the perpetrator, but in how the statement is perceived by others. The perception of the seriousness of a threat depends largely on the perspective of the person being threatened. These legal backgrounds make it clear that one should be careful with statements, even if they are intended as a joke, as they can have serious consequences.
What happened at the Laim S-Bahn station is an impressive example of how quickly a supposed joke can turn into a large-scale police operation. It is therefore advisable, especially in this day and age, to act clearly and responsibly when making such statements.
For further information on what happened at the Laim S-Bahn station and the legal aspects of threats, the following articles can be viewed: Evening newspaper Munich, Augsburger Allgemeine, and Law Forum.