Around 20,000 Bundeswehr cartridges stolen from a civilian truck in Germany

Unknown individuals stole approximately 20,000 rounds of ammunition intended for the German Armed Forces. They were being transported in a civilian truck near Magdeburg. This was reported by Spiegel, writes UNN.

Details

According to preliminary investigation data, unknown individuals opened the cargo compartment at night and stole several boxes of ammunition. The theft was noticed only the next day when the driver arrived at a nearby barracks for delivery. Soldiers who received the cargo quickly noticed that someone had accessed the cargo compartment and checked the shipping lists.

The scale of the damage is significant: after an initial inspection, it was found that about 10,000 live pistol rounds, 9,900 blank rounds for automatic rifles, and so-called smoke ammunition were stolen. Unlike pistol rounds, blank cartridges are not live ammunition. However, the ministry still called the incident a serious security threat.

"We take the theft very seriously, because such ammunition should not fall into the wrong hands."

As stated by the ministry, the civilian transport company violated the security requirements that apply to the transportation of sensitive ammunition. The relevant contract stipulates that the company must guarantee the security of the Bundeswehr's cargo. Usually, two drivers are assigned for such transportation — one of whom must constantly monitor the transport during stops.

During last week's trip, these rules were apparently not followed. According to preliminary investigation data, the stop on Tuesday night was not planned — the driver probably spontaneously decided to spend the night in a hotel. All this time, the cargo in his truck remained unattended.

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