Pickpockets caught in Munich: Witness leads police to success!

Pickpockets caught in Munich: Witness leads police to success!

There has been another series of brazen pickpockets in Munich in recent weeks, which ultimately led to the successful arrest of two perpetrators. A 23-year-old man and his 20-year-old accomplice were caught by the police on June 2nd after an alert witness saw a theft on a tram and immediately called 911. This arrest comes in the context of a series of attacks on passengers on public transport that have been going on since March. This particularly affected travelers who left their wallets out of sight when getting on the tram, like this tz reported.

The victims describe the perpetrators as particularly bold: they waited specifically at tram stops and slipped quickly and unnoticed towards their victims as they boarded the trains. The police were able to establish a connection to another incident on May 31st at the Rotkreuzplatz subway station, in which a wallet was also stolen. When the two suspects were checked in a car with a Bulgarian license plate, the officers were able to arrest the suspects. Both were then transferred to the Munich Presidium detention center, against which arrest warrants had already been issued.

A little more security through witnesses

Particularly noteworthy is the commitment of the 25-year-old witness, who prevented another theft through his vigilance. His quick actions make it clear how important it is that passers-by do not look away in such situations, but rather actively intervene. Without the support of the public, solving such crimes would be much more difficult, the police emphasize.

But the arrest of the two suspects is not the only incident that concerns the Munich police. According to reports from the South Germans According to the newspaper, a trio of pickpockets from Slovakia were also arrested. The group was active in various stores within a very short period of time and used typical diversionary tricks to steal valuables. The two incidents show that crime in the city is not limited to isolated cases, but that well-organized gangs are often up to mischief in the surrounding area.

The facts on the table

The current situation in Munich fits into a larger picture. In 2023, 109,314 pickpocketing cases were reported in Germany, and the clearance rate is an unpleasant 6.9 percent, which means that only a fraction of the crimes are actually solved, like this Federal Police communicates. The number of unreported cases is likely to be even higher, as many of those affected do not immediately notice the theft.

In view of these figures, it is clear that pickpocketing is very common in Munich, especially on crowded means of transport. Crime statistics show that the risk of travelers becoming victims of such thefts increases, particularly during rush hour and festive times. It is therefore advisable to be particularly careful on public transport and to observe simple safety measures.