Masked Raiders Strike: 18-Year-Old Victim in Herne-Mitte Robbery!

Masked Raiders Strike: 18-Year-Old Victim in Herne-Mitte Robbery!

On the night of Thursday, June 26, 2025, an 18-year-old from Herne experienced a dramatic attack on Sodinger Straße in the direction of Herne-Mitte. At around 3 a.m. the young man was hit near the “strawberry fields” (house number 127), where two masked perpetrators on an e-scooter threatened him with a knife and demanded that he hand over his shoulder bag. Fortunately, he was uninjured and was able to report the incident after the perpetrators fled.

The two suspects are described as males between the ages of 17 and 20. The first perpetrator is between 1.70 and 1.75 m, has an athletic build and was wearing a black balaclava, a black sweater and black sweatpants. The second perpetrator, who appears thin at 1.90 to 2 meters tall, also wore a black balaclava and similar clothing to mask himself. After the attack, the perpetrators fled in the direction of Hölkeskampring, and the Bochum criminal police have started the investigation. Information can be reported by calling 0234 909-8505 or -4441 (criminal station). Hello Herne reports about the incident and the important details.

A bleak picture of crime

These shocking events are not an isolated case when one considers the overall crime situation in Germany. According to the statistics for 2022, there were around 5.63 million crimes in Germany, which show an increase in theft crimes, which increased again for the first time since 2015. Last year, 1.78 million thefts were recorded by the police here. Numerous robbery crimes occur every year, with over 38,000 cases recorded in 2022. This includes, among other things, 1,060 handbag snatches and a not insignificant number of gas station robberies. Statista provides further information on this massive increase in crime.

North Rhine-Westphalia in particular is particularly struggling with over 23,500 home break-ins and a clearance rate of 16.1% in this context. In contrast, the clearance rate for robbery crimes is significantly higher at almost 60%, which at least gives the authorities a glimmer of hope.

Call for help

Recent events make it clear once again that the personal protection and safety of citizens must be the top priority. The results of investigations and clearance rates for criminal acts are important, but citizens are also important. Police encourage the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious sightings immediately.

Even though the attack was mild, it shows that such incidents can happen at any time and anywhere. Stay vigilant and report anything that seems suspicious. The Bochum criminal police are grateful for information and are asking for support in order to prevent such crimes in the future.