Police have swarmed a bank in a small German town as people are reportedly taken hostage inside the building. Helicopters are circuling over the normally tranquil town of Sinzig, in the district of Ahrweiler.
The incident, which has been ongoing since 9 am CEST (10am BST), began when a cash transport truck arrived outside Volksbank bank and an employee stepped out. An unknown man then approached and threatened the worker, according to the German paper BILD. The police say several offenders and hostages are inside the bank, this includes the hostage taker and the driver of the vehicle who are believed to be in the Volksbank’s vault.
Armed police are currently securing the bank from the outside and the entire town centre has been cordoned off.
Rows of police cars are lining the towns streets and the armored truck is still parked in front of the bank’s entrance. Police have described the ongoing incident as “stable”, adding there is no threat to locals “outside the cordoned-off area at this time”.
A police spokesperson said: “Currently, there are believed to be several perpetrators and hostages inside the bank.
“One hostage is the driver of a cash transport vehicle.The situation on site is currently stable.
“There is no danger to citizens outside the cordoned-off area at this time.”
Locals have taken to social media to urge each other to avoid the town centre with the police remind people not to spread false information.
Volksbank is located in the centre of Sinzig, a town of 17,399 people. Known as being a charming place Sinzig has beautiful half-timbered houses, theneo-Gothic Sinzig Castle and the 13th-century Saint Peter parish church.
