Video footage shows how the perpetrator escapes with the backpack. © Bundespolizei/imago/Sven Simon
In this case, the investigators were helped by technical progress. GPS tracking was used to arrest a perpetrator operating nationwide.
Munich - On Sunday (14 May), the Federal Police succeeded in a quick manhunt. A 39-year-old was arrested for "relieving" a 31-year-old woman of her backpack at the main train station in the afternoon. "A MacBook was the thief's undoing, as well as the quick reaction of the young woman," reports the Federal Police.
Around 16:10 p.m., a 31-year-old American woman reported the loss of her backpack to the Federal Police in the Ostbahnhof, along with high-quality contents costing around 5250 euros. She had boarded the ICE 912 (Munich - Dortmund) on platform 15 of Munich Central Station with a suitcase and backpack. "Since she still had time, she wanted to get some fresh air on the platform, left her luggage unattended on the train," the Federal Police press release said.
Backpack stolen at Munich Central Station: Woman takes up pursuit of the perpetrator
An initially unknown person took the backpack and left the ICE a few doors away. The woman, who lives in Munich, recognized one of three backpacks as her own and followed him. When the thief boarded a train parked on the side track, she followed him there as well. Then, suddenly, the doors closed and the train drove with the American woman to the Ostbahnhof, where the woman immediately turned to the Federal Police.
The high-quality filled backpack. © Federal police
In the backpack was a MacBook, with the support of which (GPS tracking with paired smartphone) the woman and the federal police found the location of the thief in the city area. Since the 31-year-old saw the thief, she was also able to give a good description, with which officers made their way to the MacBook. At St. Paul's Square, near the Theresienwiese subway station, federal police officers were able to locate and arrest a 39-year-old Algerian shortly after 17 p.m.
With him (he had already been noticed several times for property crimes) the backpack and almost all items (including two MacBooks, two pairs of AirPods, sunglasses, a keyboard, a hard drive, various charging cables, an Apple Power Bank and a Gucci purse) could be found.
"Nationwide traveling and appearing perpetrator" arrested in Munich
"When reviewing the video footage from the main train station, the perpetrator was identified and the execution of the crime could be traced in a way that could be used in court. After consultation with the Munich I public prosecutor's office, they ordered the detention of the homeless Algerian," the Federal Police said.
The 39-year-old has been in Germany illegally since December 2021. In addition, a data comparison revealed two residence investigations due to particularly serious cases. The public prosecutor's offices in Waldshut-Tiengen, in southern Baden-Württemberg on the border with Switzerland and Mönchengladbach were informed about the arrest of the perpetrator, who travels and appears nationwide.