Stones from bridges: Police investigate after dangerous incident!

Stones from bridges: Police investigate after dangerous incident!

On Tuesday evening, July 19, 2025, unknown perpetrators caused a stir in Oldenburg and Lingen when they threw stones from a pedestrian and bicycle bridge onto Am Schmeel Street around 9 p.m. A stone even hit the roof of a car, but fortunately the occupants were not injured. The Oldenburg police are now investigating in all directions and looking for the perpetrators. Similar incidents had already been reported in the past in which young people between the ages of 12 and 16 had thrown stones at moving cars. There was also an incident in Lingen around 7:40 p.m. in which an object was thrown from a bridge onto Federal Highway 70. The windshield of a Multivan was damaged, but fortunately the occupants remained unscathed.

The police in both cities have already initiated investigations into dangerous interference with road traffic. Section 315b StGB covers such dangerous interventions that occur from the river or stationary traffic and impair the safety of road traffic. These acts can be classified as particularly serious because they represent a concrete danger to life and limb or to other people's property of significant value. The legal framework is clear: Anyone who intentionally carries out such actions is committing a criminal offense, even if they only caused the danger negligently. In recent years, the regulations surrounding such interventions have been repeatedly reviewed in order to close loopholes in criminal law.

The youth and their actions

But what is behind such dangerous behavior? As the police authorities in Berlin and Munich report, there is increasing violence and less respect among young people. According to studies, four out of five young people have already committed a crime, often harmless acts such as vandalism. However, the police consider around 3 to 7% of them to be serious offenders, who commit over half of all crimes. It is interesting that the number of children and young people suspected of committing violent crimes in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2022 was over 5,400, which represents an increase of more than 50% since 2019. With about 14,500 teachers missing nationwide, classes are often overcrowded, meaning worried students receive little support.

The pandemic has further exacerbated the situation, with the number of child suspects increasing by 43% and young people by 17% in 2023 compared to 2019. For many outsiders, the question arises as to where this increased violent behavior comes from. Studies indicate that the lack of social exercise spaces during the pandemic has had a significant impact. Masculinity and the desire for social recognition are other factors that are often mentioned in the discussion of juvenile delinquency.

In summary, it remains to be said that the current incidents in Oldenburg and Lingen are not just an isolated case, but can be placed in a larger context. The investigation is in full swing and the police are waiting for information from the public. Anyone who has observed something or has information can contact the authorities at any time.