Zurich Police Reports: Arrests, Shooting, Fire and Fatal Accident
Zurich cantonal police report several serious incidents: three arrests following an attack, a shooting victim in Wallisellen and a fatal van accident in city district 10.
Crypto-wallet on the Seychelles frozen – romance-scam victim receives funds back
As reported by NZZ, Zurich investigators have achieved a rare success: criminal assets have been seized on a crypto-wallet at a trading platform on the Seychelles. This included funds stolen from a woman in the Winterthur district through a romance scam – the money has been refunded to her. Zurich cantonal police and the public prosecutor's office informed the public jointly in a statement on Tuesday, 26 May.
The starting point was a criminal complaint filed by the woman in January 2025. Criminals had contacted her through fake profiles on dating platforms, gained her trust and subsequently defrauded her of nearly 200,000 francs. The investigators traced the money trail and came across a crypto-wallet containing further suspected illicit sums.
In November 2025, the wallet containing assets of over 800,000 francs was frozen at the Seychelles trading platform. The money has since been transferred to a government wallet and seized.
Three arrests following attack on Afghan at the Schipfe
On Sunday, 25 May, Zurich cantonal police arrested three Swiss men who allegedly seriously injured a 21-year-old Afghan in the night before. Zurich cantonal police announced this on Monday.
The suspects – one aged 20 and two further aged 21 – allegedly attacked the man at the Schipfe in district 1 following an altercation and inflicted serious head injuries upon him. They were arrested on Sunday midday and Sunday evening in Glattbrugg. The exact circumstances of the incident are subject to ongoing investigations. The three men were handed over to the public prosecutor's office for serious violent crime.
Shots fired in Wallisellen: 24-year-old Syrian seriously injured
In the night of Friday to Saturday, 23 May, a 24-year-old Syrian was seriously injured by a gunshot in Wallisellen. The rescue service and an emergency doctor provided medical care to the man at Hertistrasse and transported him by ambulance to hospital, as cantonal police reported.
According to initial investigations, the unknown perpetrator fled in a private vehicle in an unknown direction. The manhunt is ongoing. The exact circumstances of the incident are being further investigated by Zurich cantonal police and the public prosecutor's office.
Flat fire in district 3: approximately thirty persons evacuated
Shortly after 2 a.m. on Saturday, a fire broke out in a multi-family house in district 3. Professional firefighters evacuated approximately thirty persons, some using escape hoods and via the hydraulic platform. Two persons were admitted to hospital following emergency medical treatment.
One flat was already fully ablaze when emergency services arrived. The flames spread to the balcony above it, and smoke rose through the stairwell into several flats. Professional firefighters laid a hose line over the balcony and were able to bring the fire under control quickly. Post-extinguishing operations proved labour-intensive as the smoke had spread widely.
Two young foxes in engine compartment – police officers bring them safely home
On Wednesday, a woman discovered two young foxes in the engine compartment of her vehicle in Neuwiesen car park in Winterthur. Two police officers attended and established that the animals had likely entered via the wheel arch – and had survived the journey unharmed. Winterthur city police wrote this in a statement on Friday.
Since freeing them in the car park would have been too dangerous, the emergency personnel drove carefully with the vehicle owner to her home address. There they attempted to move the foxes out of the vehicle using water. One fled quickly, the second initially remained frightened in the car. Some time later, it too left the vehicle of its own accord.
Driverless van kills pedestrian in district 10
On Thursday afternoon, a fatal accident occurred in Zurich city district 10. At 1 p.m., a van rolled out from the junction of Michelstrasse and Engadinerweg in the direction of Regensdorferstrasse for reasons as yet unclear. After several metres, the driverless vehicle struck a pedestrian on the pavement.
The pensioner was taken to hospital by rescue services with life-threatening injuries, where she succumbed to her injuries in the evening. Zurich city police announced this on Friday.
Source: NZZ