In transit to a holiday, a thief snatches a elderly woman's handbag from ICE.
On September 2, 2025, a 22-year-old German national was provisionally arrested by federal police officers for a handbag theft on an ICE train traveling from Hannover to Hamburg. The victim, an elderly woman from Baden-Württemberg, was on the train with her husband, en route to a vacation in Usedom.
The handbag theft occurred during the journey. The suspect, known to the Hamburg Federal Police for multiple property crimes, took advantage of the woman briefly leaving her handbag unattended. The stolen handbag contained a wallet, driver's license, EC card, phone, health insurance card, medication, and other personal items.
The federal police were informed about the suspected handbag thief by a train attendant, who had locked himself in the train's toilet just before the train arrived at platform 13. Two patrol teams of the Federal Police immediately reached the platform and were able to receive the arriving ICE. In the presence of the police officers, the train attendant opened the toilet with a key, and the suspect was found inside.
Upon arrest, the suspect was transported to the Federal Police Station in restraints, and the stolen handbag, along with the majority of the stolen goods, was found in his backpack and in the train's toilet. The suspect was remanded to the detention center, and a criminal investigation (suspected theft) has been initiated.
The elderly woman was shaken by the incident but was able to recover her essential medication. The couple was able to continue their journey after the federal police measures were completed.
The press office of the Federal Police Inspectorate Hamburg warns passengers to stay vigilant and never leave handbags and luggage unattended in moving trains. Further prevention tips can be obtained at www.bundespolizei.de.
For inquiries, please contact the Press Spokesperson, Police Chief Commissioner Rüdiger Carstens, at Mobile 0172/4052 741, Email: [email protected], or visit the Bundespolizeiinspektion Hamburg at Wilsonstraße 49 - 53b, 22045 Hamburg.
Further investigations are ongoing and will be conducted by the investigation department of the Federal Police Inspectorate Hamburg. The suspect's disturbance in the detention cell did not hinder the proceedings of the case. The federal police will continue to work diligently to ensure the safety and security of all passengers on German trains.
