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Dawn raids target Rhineland burglary gang

Published: 10 Jan 13 12:11 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130110-47251.html

Hundreds of police officers across western Germany carried out dawn raids on Thursday in an effort to crack down on what they believe to be a southeastern European burglary gang. Ten people were arrested.

Officers across the Rhineland sprang into action at 6 am looking for stolen goods in Aachen, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach, Cologne and several other cities.

Along with raiding two asylum-seeker homes, police set up traffic control points where they pulled over and searched suspicious vehicles. Helicopters were also deployed for surveillance.

Parking areas off A4 autobahn are, according to the Cologne police, hotspots of criminal activity. Burglars were known to meet there and exchange stolen goods, a spokesman said.

Main aims of the raids were for the police to get a better idea of how the gang is structured, how widespread it actually is and whether there are others.

The authorities would hold a more extensive briefing on the outcome of the raid on Friday, the spokesman said, adding that while the raids were at dawn, the operation would likely last all day.

DAPD/The Local/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

14:49 January 10, 2013 by truth is treason
In the above article it says "a southeastern European burglary gang" wonder if this a code to mean Roma origins?. It could mean either Romanian or Bulgarians not this southeastern European. Also if immigration is involved why? Even these criminals are allowed to be here because they belong to a southeastern European country.
15:50 January 10, 2013 by raandy
I would assume Southern European countries are those that border the Med.
17:03 January 10, 2013 by garyh911
This is typical of the poorly written articles by The Local - afraid to give the details because they might embarrass some special interest group! Regardless of where these criminals come from, it's amazing that the police can have "hundreds of officers" and only "ten people were arrested." I'll say again that the German police are ineffective and inefficient. And I'll bet this criminal gangs has operated under their noses for years.
08:44 January 11, 2013 by truth is treason
#raandy You are in Greece you look North. On which side is the Med? You are in Germany you look south. On which side is most of the Med?

May be the article is unclear, but it should say South East Med Country.

I also wonder if those detained where on full benefits.
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