Schwelm burglary involves suspect using cat flap

In Schwelm, Germany, a 34-year-old suspect was identified by neighbors following a residential burglary on Potthoffstraße. The individual reportedly used a cat ladder to reach a ground-floor window and opened it via a cat flap to steal coins.

Data regarding burglary trends in North Rhine-Westphalia shows a significant increase in reported cases. Between 2022 and 2023, registered burglaries rose from 23,528 to 27,061. During the same period, the number of solved cases increased from 3,385 to 3,616, and the number of suspects rose from 2,789 to 3,069.