Authorities received an alert around 9 a.m. regarding an incident at the Volksbank branch located in Sinzig, a town nestled in the Rhine Valley near Koblenz.
This small town, home to roughly 17,000 residents, was placed under lockdown as special police units assessed the hostage situation within the bank.
By just before 3 p.m., a SWAT team of seven officers entered the bank, successfully liberating two hostages who were found unharmed inside a locked vault.
Among those rescued was reportedly the driver of an armored cash vehicle that had been targeted during the incident.
“We are relieved that the hostages have been freed. They are deeply affected by what has happened,” stated Juergen Fachinger, spokesperson for Koblenz Police.
Upon inspection, police did not encounter any hostage-takers within the bank and suspect that the individuals responsible fled immediately after securing the hostages in the vault.
Police didn’t indicate whether any cash or valuables were stolen.
The Volksbank branch is now a crime scene, as detectives investigate how the hostage takers escaped without notice.
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