German police stand trial over €200,000 jewelry store raid

Two former German police officers have gone on trial for a daring smash and grab robbery  of a jewelery store earlier this year. Thieves made off with €200,000 ($237,339) worth of precious stones.

The pair are accused of driving a stolen black BMW through the window of the shop in Bamberg, northern Bavaria, some 230 kilometers (142 miles) north of Munich, on January 15.

Both suspects are 31 years old. They can only be named as David S, who served in Hamburg, and Felix B, an ex-Berlin police officer, for legal reasons.

The raid happened in the early hours of the morning, leaving the suspects to use hatchets to raid various showcases for jewels, watches and gems.

Prosecutors said the accused then made off in a waiting getaway car, a Mercedes, and used a fake police blue light to avoid detection.

The trial of the two men is taking place at the Bamberg district court.

“We wanted to disguise ourselves as civilian patrol, the oncoming patrols let us drive,”Felix B told Bamberg district court on Friday at the opening of their trial.

How were they arrested?

Officers were able to locate and arrest Felix B after tracing his whereabouts using his cell phone data.

Both men have pleaded guilty and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

“It was all about the thrill,” David S admitted in court. 

The Bild newspaper reported that they had been filmed carrying out robberies in other parts of Germany using the same getaway cars.

Those allegations are not part of the trial in Bamberg.

The Böhnlein jewellery shop has been targeted by thieves in the past, as recently as in 2019 and 2017.

jf/jlw (dpa, Bild)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/german-police-stand-trial-over-%E2%82%AC200-000-jewelry-store-raid/a-58715125?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf