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Lightning strike in Westfield Centro: Police are looking for witnesses!
Lightning burglary in the Westfield Centro, Oberhausen: Police are looking for witnesses after jewelry theft by an unknown perpetrator on June 27th, 2025.
Lightning strike in Westfield Centro: Police are looking for witnesses!
In the early morning hours of June 27, 2025, the Westfield Centro shopping center in Oberhausen was the target of a bold lightning break-in. At 2:08 a.m., an attentive witness alerted the police, who quickly deployed to Galeria Kaufhof with several radio patrol cars. At the crime scene, the crime scene determined that the shop window in the entrance area opposite Parking Garage 3 had been broken with an unknown object. Inside, locked display cases had been damaged with a prying tool and jewelry was stolen Express reported.
The description of the perpetrator made people sit up and take notice: A male suspect who was riding a bicycle and carrying a backpack was particularly noticeable because of his eye-catching yellow jacket. Police are now looking for witnesses who saw this man in the Westfield Centro area. Information can be given to the Oberhausen police on 0208 826-0 or by email to poststelle.oberhausen@polizei.nrw.de, as well News.de communicates.
Increasing numbers of burglaries in North Rhine-Westphalia
This incident represents just another in a worrying series of burglaries. Burglary statistics for 2024 show a significant increase in residential burglaries in Germany, with an increase of 18% compared to the previous year. In 2023, over 77,000 residential burglaries were recorded in Germany, which corresponds to an average of 213 burglaries per day. The increase is particularly noticeable in North Rhine-Westphalia, where the number of burglaries rose by 15%. While the burglary rate in large cities is 98 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants, the rate in rural regions is only 61 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the analysis HomeInsider.
One of the most common break-in methods is prying open doors. An increase in damage caused by break-ins has also been recorded in recent years, with an average loss of €3,500 per incident.
Given these alarming trends, security strategies and burglary prevention measures are coming into focus. Police offer free security consultations to help citizens better protect their homes and businesses. Efficient security technology can deter burglars and make access more difficult. It remains to be seen whether the investigation into the lightning burglary will lead to a quick clarification, as the criminal investigation department has already initiated extensive forensic measures.