Sabotage at transformer stations in North Rhine-Westphalia: Police continue search for 48-year-old
Police continue to search for Daniel V., who is believed to be responsible for sabotage attacks on transformer stations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg. His lorry was secured at Hambach Forest.
Large-scale manhunt for transformer station saboteur: lorry secured, suspect still at large
As Google News DE — Crime (de) reports, police continue to search for a 48-year-old man who is believed to be responsible for multiple sabotage attacks on transformer stations in North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg. The focus of the investigation is on a man named Daniel V.
In Niederzier in Düren district, around 20 police vehicles were deployed on Saturday. Officers conducted a search for and secured evidence in the area. From the air, a police helicopter supported the manhunt.
Suspect's lorry towed away
At Hambach Forest, the vehicle of the suspect was discovered in a car park. According to a huntsman on site, the lorry had apparently been there since Wednesday. Officials from the state criminal investigation office secured traces from the vehicle before a towing service transported the lorry to a police impound lot. Initially, obstacles had to be removed because the car park was not accessible to the tow truck.
From Hambach Forest, police also secured data carriers from wildlife cameras. It is to be checked whether Daniel V. can be seen in the recordings.
Police search Hambach Forest — without success
During the night, the police leadership decided to search Hambach Forest once more. Numerous police vehicles arrived, officers went into the forest. A helicopter equipped with thermal imaging cameras was also deployed. The suspect was nevertheless not found. After the operation in the forest ended, a spokesman for Cologne Police stated that the manhunt would continue during the night. Police assume that Daniel V. is no longer in the immediate vicinity.
Whether the operation in the forest would be continued the following morning remained unclear at first.
Launch devices found at multiple crime scenes
At the attack sites in North Rhine-Westphalia, numerous launch devices were secured. In Bergheim, police found nine such devices, in Dormagen two, and in Weisweiler one more. Police have so far not provided details on the exact circumstances of the attacks.
Police operation in Hamm — unrelated persons questioned
At a decommissioned transformer station in Hamm, a major police operation took place in the evening. Officers had discovered a vehicle there and noted tampering with the surrounding fence. The site was cordoned off, and a helicopter was requested. Five people were encountered and taken to the police station for questioning.
It emerged that those affected were individuals who wanted to visit the decommissioned facility as a so-called "lost place". In the vicinity is also a weather shaft, which is likewise known as such. Whether the individuals intended to access the transformer station at all or only the weather shaft remained unclear at first. By helicopter, police monitored further power and transformer stations in the Hamm area without detecting any further irregularities.
Explosive devices also discovered in Saxony
Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) confirmed that police have also discovered unknown explosive devices in Saxony. "In the ongoing operation, police forces have secured four objects at two discovery sites and are now proceeding with defusal," Schuster said in response to an enquiry from the German Press Agency.
Ministers speak of "climate extremism"
At a press conference on Friday, North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul and Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt classified the case as "climate extremism" and spoke of a "high threat level". Investigations are proceeding at full pace, with the suspect remaining at large for the time being.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)