German police identify suspect in Konstanz flea market bomb threat

Authorities in Konstanz and Hagen have identified a 16-year-old suspect from North Rhine-Westphalia in connection with a bomb threat made during a 24-hour flea market in June. The suspect is accused of making multiple calls claiming that several bombs were placed at the cross-border event, demanding a high five-figure sum of money to prevent an explosion.

The threat triggered a massive police operation, including the evacuation of the site and a search by specialists. While no explosives were found, the event was interrupted for nearly twelve hours.

Investigators believe the incident is an instance of ‘swatting,’ where false emergency calls are made to divert police resources to a specific location. The suspect is also being investigated for similar calls made across Germany. Due to the suspect's age, the investigation has been transferred to the Hagen public prosecutor's office to be handled according to the principle of residence.