German police report series of vandalism and theft incidents across multiple towns

Police forces in several German states reported a wave of property crimes in late July 2026. In Hörselberg‑Hainich (Thuringia), unknown persons damaged about 20 fence posts on a weidezaun, causing a low three‑digit euro loss. In Nordhausen, a suspect punctured 14 tyres on nine cars in a garden plot, with damage estimated at around €2,000.

In Gelsenkirchen (North Rhine‑Westphalia), a group of youths aged roughly ten to fourteen broke several windows at a disused church on two occasions within the same week. Bad Hersfeld (Hesse) saw multiple offences, including vandalism of a excavator cabin, spray‑painting of a car, theft of an e‑scooter, and arson of newspapers and cardboard in a nearby barn. In Bad Kissingen and surrounding districts, numerous parked vehicles were struck or scratched, and an iPhone was stolen from a bench.

Graffiti incidents also surfaced: a swastika was sprayed on a house wall in Gera and on a road in Wildenreuth, prompting investigations for use of unconstitutional symbols. Police in each location have appealed for witnesses and are pursuing the cases.