Armed robbery solved after four years – two suspects in custody
Four years after an armed robbery at a consumer market in the Upper Palatinate, police have arrested two suspects. Testimony from children played a decisive role.
Armed robbery at consumer market solved
In July 2022, an armed man robbed a consumer market in Nittendorf (Regensburg district) and stole a five-figure sum of cash. According to Sueddeutsche.de, police have now arrested two suspects – more than four years after the crime.
The perpetrator reportedly locked himself inside the market and threatened two employees with a firearm. He demanded they open the safe. During his attempted escape, he is said to have fired several shots – presumably with a blank-firing pistol. The weapon has not been found to date.
Two children become key witnesses. The then ten- and twelve-year-old boys observed the robbery outside the market and gave police detailed descriptions of the perpetrator. They also partially remembered the registration plate of the getaway vehicle – decisive for the later investigation.
The initial manhunt was unsuccessful. A presentation of the case on the ZDF programme "Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst" in May 2024 also did not lead to a breakthrough.
However, suspicion grew that the perpetrator possessed inside knowledge. An employee of the market had spoken on the telephone with an unknown person on the day of the crime. The public prosecutor's office ordered searches. In early August, several mobile phones were seized – their analysis yielded crucial new findings.
The investigators subsequently identified an 18-year-old at that time who was the suspected driver of the getaway vehicle. The public prosecutor's office obtained arrest warrants. Last week, a 34-year-old employee of the market was arrested and is in pre-trial detention. The 23-year-old suspected perpetrator turned himself in to police with the support of a solicitor. He is being charged with particularly serious robbery and extortion.
Source: Die Zeit Kriminalität