Thief in the ICE: Public predator to escape to Leipzig!

Thief in the ICE: Public predator to escape to Leipzig!

A thief caused a stir on Friday afternoon in the ICE from Erfurt to Leipzig. The man, a 25-year-old Bulgarian, was caught by the federal police officers after he had previously stolen various articles in a drugstore at Erfurt Central Station. Through video recordings, the investigators were able to quickly track his trail and finally discovered him at the Leipzig Central Station.

The police officers found perfumes worth over 200 euros in the search. The alleged perpetrator, who is already known to the police, now has to answer for a particularly severe case of theft. The stolen goods were secured and handed over to the colleagues in Erfurt. Interestingly, the Bulgarian was withdrawn in October 2022, which underlines its action.

The background of theft

The mere fact of theft in the ICE raises questions about how such offenses develop in public space. Studies by the federal police show that pickpockets often act in crowds, especially at events, shops or public transport. In 2023, 109,314 cases of pickpocketing were registered in Germany, and in 2024 there were even 107,720 offenses. These crimes are among the most common in public space, along with bicycle thefts and property damage.

The crime statistics speaks of total damage due to pickpocketing of 52.4 million euros in 2024. It is worrying that the clarification rate is only 6.9 percent, since deeds are often not noticed immediately. Another point is that many perpetrators belong to professional, internationally operating groups that are active throughout Europe. It is therefore particularly important for travelers and passers -by to be aware of the risks and take suitable precautionary measures.

Further information on the topic and statistics are on Federal Police as well Erfurt] (https://ich-liebene-erfurt.de/in-erfurt-gestellen-in-leipzig-beten/).