Schnapps theft in Erkner: Police are looking for witnesses and published photos!

Schnapps theft in Erkner: Police are looking for witnesses and published photos!

Erkner, Deutschland - The security situation in Erkner has come into focus again by current incidents that have occurred in the past few months. A particularly brazen theft occurred on November 4, 2024 in a supermarket in Ladestrasse. A man was able to steal a bottle of schnapps when he cleverly covered the bottle in the till area and handed it over to two companions, which she put in a backpack. The plan initially seemed to work, but when witnesses addressed the trio on the theft, the main perpetrator became violent and struck one of the witnesses with his fist against his arm. Despite the subsequent escape, the police could not determine the identity of the perpetrator. At the time of the crime, this wore a blue hat, a gray-blue bomber jacket, blue jeans and black shoes, and probably spoke Russian with his accomplices. The police are asking the population for information and has published photos of the perpetrator, who, among other things, on the website of Moz.de can be viewed.

Another incident that illustrates the police force in the region took place on November 19, 2024 in a kiosk in Bahnhofstrasse. There, two unknown men stole several poles cigarettes. At an unobserved moment, they managed to get behind the cash register and to remove cigarettes from the shelf. They hurriedly tried to leave the shop, but the seller and a witness were able to hold them out for a short time. However, the perpetrators were able to tear away and flee, with damage of around 300 euros. The investigation into the identity of the suspects is in full swing. The details of this incident can be found on police report-brandenburg.de

a worrying trend

These incidents are part of a major problem that becomes clear in the 2023 police crime statistics: The number of shoplifting in Germany rose by over 23 percent last year to more than 426,000 cases. The Trade Association of Germany (HDE) points out that many shoplifting steels are not reported due to their high number of unreported cases. According to HDE, the punishment often fails to materialize; displayed shoplifts often get away without consequences. HDE general manager Stefan Genth urgently demands more consistent criminal prosecution of shoplifting steels, whereby organized theft gangs in particular should be targeted. These are visible causes of the problem, the offenses of which have increased by almost 26 percent. Further information on this is on Retail.de Available.

The repeated thefts in Erkner have a highlight of the challenges that local shops and the police have to cope with. With the call for public witness information, the authorities hope to bring light into the dark and to hold the perpetrators responsible. Stay the eyes open and we support the police in their investigation!