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Major police operation in Bielefeld: hand grenade threat causes excitement!
In Bielefeld, an argument in a restaurant escalated when a man threatened to throw a hand grenade; Police intervened.
Major police operation in Bielefeld: hand grenade threat causes excitement!
A dramatic scenario occurred in Bielefeld today when a large police operation alerted about a possible explosive device. A 62-year-old man threatened to throw what he thought was a hand grenade in a restaurant in the Sennestadt district. The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. and resulted in a significant emergency response. How n-tv Reportedly, police asked the public to avoid the scene while the situation was brought under control.
According to initial information, the man appeared in the restaurant after an argument and showed the hand grenade while threatening to detonate it. He left the restaurant and was caught nearby by the police a short time later. But the situation escalated. Emergency services fired at least one shot at the man's legs, who was then seriously injured. The 62-year-old was not unknown to police, as was revealed in a search where they found a knife, a bottle of vodka and the suspected grenade. It remains unclear whether the hand grenade was real, which is why explosives experts from the State Criminal Police Office arrived to check the situation. The suspected grenade remains at the scene.
Troubled tempers and rising crime
The incident is part of a worrying trend in Germany. According to the police crime statistics (PKS), there is a mixed development. So reported Statista, reported that crime was reduced by 1.7% to approximately 5.84 million cases in 2024, primarily due to the decline in cannabis-related crimes. Nevertheless, many people's sense of security is increasing. Crimes against personal freedom and crimes of brutality are particularly cause for concern.
However, the PKS only records cases that are reported to the police. Dark field studies show that many attacks, such as rape, often go unreported. The likelihood of becoming a victim of a crime is significantly higher, particularly in city states such as Berlin, Bremen or Hamburg. In comparison, North Rhine-Westphalia is the leader among the federal states when it comes to crime figures.
Today's situation in Bielefeld could increase fears among the population and reignite the discussion about security and police presence. The weather may have been friendly on Sunday, but not everything happening in the streets was.