Suche
Mein Konto
Armed men in Cologne: Police stop dangerous AMG Mercedes!
Two men with weapons were arrested in downtown Cologne. The driver ignored stop signals and handed over a bag.
Armed men in Cologne: Police stop dangerous AMG Mercedes!
A dramatic incident occurred in downtown Cologne on the afternoon of August 12, 2025, which brought investigators to the scene. At around 5:30 p.m., plainclothes police noticed a Mercedes GLE AMG that was driving unsafely. The driver, a 38-year-old man, ignored the officers' signals to stop and initially tried to evade control. While driving, he handed a bag to his passenger, 27, before he jumped out of the vehicle and tried to escape. However, this escape was unsuccessful because the police were able to quickly catch up with him.
A search of the passenger revealed two live firearms that were hidden in his fanny pack. Both occupants of the Mercedes are no strangers to the Cologne crime scene. While the passenger is known for assault, cocaine trafficking and extortion, the driver has a criminal past involving weapons and drug offenses and is connected to the rocker environment. The officers then searched the driver's apartment on a court order, but did not find any other illegal items.
Arrests and ongoing investigations
Both men were temporarily arrested and will be brought before the magistrate. The investigation into this is ongoing and one wonders: How could this incident have happened? The criminal milieu in North Rhine-Westphalia is no secret, and the police have their hands full trying to get to grips with the increasing threat posed by such criminal gangs.
A look beyond the Cologne city limits shows that the police are faced with similar problems everywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia. A case from Münster that occurred on January 9, 2023 illustrates this. Two men who tried to evade control were also stopped there. The vehicle had stolen license plates and when police tried to stop them, the driver restarted the car to flee. The officers then drew their weapons and shot the vehicle's tires to prevent the escape. This raises questions about the proportionality of the use of firearms, even if the Münster police refer to a press release.
Crime development in the country
The development of crime in Germany is a complex issue. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office's Police Crime Statistics (PKS), there was a 1.7% decrease in registered crimes in 2024 to around 5.84 million, which is primarily due to the partial legalization of cannabis in April 2024. However, the number of crimes affecting people's sense of security has increased. This shows that the dark field, the unreported crimes, still plays an important role. Many crimes, especially in the area of sexual violence, often go unreported.
A look at the statistics for 2024 shows that the most common crimes are theft, property crimes and brutality crimes. Crimes against life, such as murder or manslaughter, account for only 0.1% of cases. In North Rhine-Westphalia, where Cologne is also located, crime figures are particularly high. This represents an additional challenge for the police, who are faced with a constant increase in suspects.
The current events surrounding the Cologne incidents are fueling the discussion about safety in public spaces and the effective fight against crime. Will the authorities be able to counteract this and regain the trust of the population? The coming weeks will show it.