Dramatic escape in Ruhpolding: branch manager stands up to thieves

Dramatic escape in Ruhpolding: branch manager stands up to thieves

An unusual incident occurred on June 20, 2025 in Ruhpolding, in the Traunstein district. Three men stole food and alcohol from an Aldi store, causing a dramatic moment as the store manager tried to prevent their escape. Despite her courageous intervention, the getaway vehicle, a white Mercedes, drove recklessly towards her. The branch manager was only able to save herself by a courageous jump to the side, as Merkur reports.

The police were quickly on the scene and were able to stop the getaway vehicle shortly after the incident. The three suspects, aged 21, 27 and 42, were subsequently arrested. While two of the younger men were taken into custody, the 42-year-old remained at large for the time being. The criminal police have initiated an investigation into particularly serious theft and are also accusing the perpetrators of dangerous interference in road traffic.

State reactions to rising crime

The incident in Ruhpolding is another example in the worrying record of shoplifting in Germany. According to the latest police crime statistics, the number of shoplifting cases rose by more than 23 percent to over 426,000 cases in 2023. This development has prompted the German Retail Association (HDE) to call for more consistent criminal prosecution of shoplifters. Particularly serious theft organized by gangs has increased by around 26 percent, which further exacerbates the problem. A core problem remains the high number of unreported cases of over 90 percent, as many thefts are either not reported or not reported, like [the Handelsverband](https://einzelhandel.de/presse/aktuellemeldeen/14466-polizeiliche- criminal statistic-fuer-2023-veroeffentlicht-zahl-der-ladendiebstaehle-stieg-deutlich-handelsverband-ford-konsequentere-bestrafung?highlight=WzIwMjNd) emphasized.

The effectiveness of law enforcement agencies is often questioned as numerous reports are viewed as futile. Trading companies record billions of dollars in losses every year. To counteract this, industry representatives are calling for a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to deal with professionally organized gangs that operate not only locally but also across countries.

Call for help

The investigation into the arrest of the three suspects is still ongoing. The Traunstein criminal police are asking the public for help and calling on witnesses to report observations in connection with this incident. Information can be given directly to the police station.

Overall, the situation in the retail world remains tense, and the incident in Ruhpolding shows how real the threat of shoplifters is and how important preventative measures are to ensure safety for both stores and employees. As the Bavaria Police says, the situation was extremely dangerous for the branch manager and could have had serious consequences.