Branch manager courageously stands in the way of thieves – drama in Ruhpolding!

Branch manager courageously stands in the way of thieves – drama in Ruhpolding!

In the small town of Ruhpolding, located in the picturesque Traunstein district, there was a dramatic incident in an Aldi branch on June 18, 2025. Three men who apparently didn't want to stop stole food and alcohol and tried to escape. But a courageous branch manager stood up to them resolutely. In a moment reminiscent of an action movie, she stood in front of the getaway vehicle, a white Mercedes, to stop the thieves. Unfortunately, the perpetrators had little insight and headed straight for them. She was only able to avoid a collision by making a daring jump to the side Mercury reported.

After the police were alerted, an extensive search ensued, which was successfully completed shortly after the incident. The getaway vehicle was stopped in the Siegsdorf area and the three men, aged 21, 27 and 42, were temporarily arrested. While the younger suspects have to be in custody, the 42-year-old remains at large because, according to the police, there is no risk of escape.

Rising crime in retail

Unfortunately, the incident in Ruhpolding is not an isolated case. Police crime statistics for 2023 have shown that the number of shoplifting cases in Germany has increased by more than 23 percent to over 426,000 cases. This shows that retail is under increasing pressure. The German Trade Association (HDE) is therefore calling for more consistent legal prosecution of shoplifting, as many of these crimes go unreported and are not reported retail.de reported.

Frustration among retailers is growing because the perpetrators who are reported often get away with no noticeable consequences. The pressure on the police and judiciary increases, particularly when shoplifting is organized by gangs. HDE Managing Director Stefan Genth has made it clear that this form of theft is not a trivial offense and that significant punishments are unavoidable.

Investigations and call for assistance

In Ruhpolding the police remain busy with the investigation. These focus not only on particularly serious theft, but also on dangerous interference with road traffic. Witnesses who made observations on June 11th are asked to come forward and help solve the case. A commitment that is particularly important at this time to prevent similar incidents and protect retailers, such as Chiemgau24 reported.

It remains to be hoped that with higher penalties and better cooperation between the authorities, such courageous actions like those of the branch manager will not be in vain and that security in retail will be increased again.