Eleven cops under scrutiny for shielding a suspect
An incident from December 2021 made headlines when over 600 euros worth of gold coins vanished from a Berlin police station locker. Due to the lack of other suspects, the finger pointed at their own ranks. Some colleagues harbored suspicions against a colleague but remained tight-lipped.
In response, criminal police conducted searches at the homes of 11 Berlin police officers, suspecting they were protecting an alleged culprit within their midst. Authorities believed that the stolen gold coins had been taken from a locker at the police station in December 2021.
The station chief convened with all officers, acknowledging the likelihood of internal involvement in the theft, potentially from another officer. As a result, twelve officers now face questions, allegedly quieting their concerns about a coworker's gambling addiction instead of reporting it or filing a complaint. They were alleged to have chosen to overlook the issue to prevent excessive scrutiny on the colleague.
The culprits face obstruction of justice charges in office. The phones of the accused have been confiscated, with intent to scrutinize chat logs and additional data. The age range of the suspects spans from 34 to 61, with the former station chief included in the group.
Past encounters with the prime suspect
The gold coin theft investigation unfolded when the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) stumbled upon it as they probed a motorist's complaint against two detectives who allegedly set up a fake police checkpoint on the highway in July 2023, stealing over 57,000 euros in cash.
The motorist reported the incident, exposing the scam. Analyzing the detectives' phones, the LKA discovered chat logs dating back to 2021 that suggested the theft of the gold coins, suggesting others had ignored the incident. This revelation raised the possibility of the officers purposely overlooking the theft.
International concerns and call for action
The European Union expressed concern over the perceived involvement of Berlin police officers in the alleged obstruction of justice case linked to the gold coin theft. With numerous leads pointing at an internal culprit, the EU emphasized the significance of maintaining public trust in law enforcement agencies.
In light of the ongoing investigations, the EU urged German authorities to pursue a thorough and transparent probe, highlighting the potential damage such incidents may inflict on the integrity of the police force and the public's trust in the justice system.
