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Cigarette machine blown up again in Cologne-Holweide – witnesses wanted!
Unknown people blow up cigarette machines in Cologne-Holweide. Police are looking for witnesses; The first explosion took place recently.
Cigarette machine blown up again in Cologne-Holweide – witnesses wanted!
On the night of Tuesday, September 30th, a cigarette machine was blown up again in Cologne-Holweide. The incident occurred around 1:35 a.m. on Neufelder Straße, where residents heard the loud bang and then noticed smoke coming from the machine. This was the second time the machine had been blown up in just a few days - in the first, which took place on September 23rd, two male teenagers took out numerous packs of cigarettes without alerting the police. These young people were described as being around 15 to 18 years old and around 1.75 to 1.85 meters tall. While one was dressed in dark clothing, the other wore a white jacket. It remains unclear whether the same perpetrators were at work again this time.
The Criminal Investigation Department 71 has started the investigation and is asking the public for help: Anyone who has made suspicious observations during the night or in the area should contact the police immediately. Tips can be received by phone on 0221 229-0 or by email at poststelle.koeln@polizei.nrw.de. On Bergisch-Gladbacher-Straße in Holweide, another machine was forced open on the night of Tuesday, September 23rd, which indicates an organized approach by the perpetrators.
Draw attention to the perpetrators
The Cologne police are faced with the challenge of solving these repeated vending machine explosions, which not only endanger public safety but also cause significant property damage. As can be seen from a ruling by the Cologne regional court, in recent years ATMs and cigarette machines have been increasingly attacked using Polish firecrackers to blow them up. Two men and a woman have already been convicted of crimes in Cologne and the surrounding area between 2023 and 2024. One man received a prison sentence of over six years, while another escaped on probation. The explosive acts cause considerable damage to the community and make it clear that this is a structural problem.
As the police begin their investigation, officials hope that helpful tips from the public can clear up the mixed status of the investigation. More and more eyewitness reports could expand the puzzle surrounding the perpetrators and help restore public safety in Cologne.