BPOL NRW: Federal Police arrest brazen suitcase thief at Cologne Central Station

At around 3:20 pm, a 28-year-old wanted to board the ICE to Frankfurt, which was standing on track 5. The German man stated that he had placed a small silver suitcase (carry-on size) on the train and then brought in additional luggage. However, in the meantime, his suitcase had already been stolen.

Thanks to an immediate video evaluation and an AirTag located in the suitcase, the federal police officers were able to quickly trace that the perpetrators had left the train with the stolen goods and fled by tram.

The officers immediately pursued them. They spotted the fleeing thieves near the Schönhauserstraße stop and continued the search. While the 22-year-old perpetrator fled on foot towards the city center, the 23-year-old Algerian boarded tram line 17. Thanks to immediate consultation with the control center of the Cologne Transport Authority, which had the tram stopped at the Bonner Wall stop, the officers were able to arrest the 23-year-old. However, the 22-year-old accomplice initially managed to escape.

Further investigation revealed that the 22-year-old had already committed a shoplifting offense in a grocery store at Cologne Central Station in the morning. The 23-year-old was also no stranger: there was an investigation into his whereabouts by the Central Foreigners Authority in Cologne due to a violation of the Residence Act.

The federal police could only find the suitcase near the stop, broken open and empty. The officers arrested the 23-year-old and handed him over to police custody. He now has to face court for a particularly serious case of theft. The 22-year-old also faces criminal charges for the thefts.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Federal Police Directorate Sankt Augustin
Federal Police Inspection Cologne
Paula Moll

Phone: +49 (0) 221 16093-1400
Mobile: +49 (0) 173 56 21 045
Email: presse.k@polizei.bund.de
X (Twitter): @BPOL NRW

Gereonstraße 43-65
50670 Cologne

For more information, please visitwww.bundespolizei.deor
the above contact address.

Original content from: Federal Police Directorate Sankt Augustin, transmitted by news aktuell