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Thieves used a large drill to break into a safe at a high street bank branch in western Germany and stole an estimated €30 million (£26 million; $35 million) in cash and valuables, police said.
A police spokesman compared the break-in to the Hollywood heist movie Ocean’s Eleven and told AFP it was “very professionally executed”.
During the robbery at the Sparkasse Savings Bank in Gelsenkirchen, thieves broke into more than 3,000 safes containing money, gold and jewelry.
Gelsenkirchen police said they became aware of the crime after a fire alarm went off in the early hours of Monday morning.
No arrests have been made and the perpetrators remain at large.
Police said thieves took advantage of a “quiet Christmas” to rob the building on Ninghofstrasse in the Buhl district.
A preliminary investigation revealed they entered the bank and fled through a nearby parking lot.
Witnesses said several men were carrying large bags on the garage stairs from Saturday to Sunday.
Police said video showed a black Audi RS 6 leaving a garage in De-La-Chevallerie-Strasse early Monday morning.
The hole in the underground vault room was discovered when a fire alarm went off in the early hours of Monday morning and police and fire brigade searched the building.
Affected bank customers have been asked to contact Sparkasse Bank, which has set up a hotline. Police blocked the entrance to the branch on Tuesday after a large number of customers gathered outside demanding information.
A message on the bank’s website said the branch would remain closed on Tuesday following the break-in.
Sparkasse said 95 per cent of its customers’ safes had been forced open by thieves, so the likelihood of them being affected was “very high”.
It added that the contents of each compartment are insured for up to €10,300 and told customers to check if they have additional cover through home insurance.
