Fire brigade in Schwedt in shock: thieves steal vital devices!

Fire brigade in Schwedt in shock: thieves steal vital devices!

The Schwedt fire department is in an understandable state of shock, as it fell victim to a brazen break-in just before the handover of its new central fire station. Unknown perpetrators broke into the old station in the city center and stole valuable special equipment, including hydraulic scissors and a spreader along with the associated batteries. These devices are essential for rescuing injured people from vehicles that have been involved in an accident. Heiko Hinsche, deputy district fire chief, said that this theft caused more than just material damage. “It puts an emotional strain on us,” Hinsche continued, because the devices are indispensable for rescue operations. With a keen eye on the future, he suspects that the stolen tools could potentially be used for other crimes, such as stealing catalytic converters. This illustrates the worrying development in dealing with rescue workers, which Brandenburg's Interior Minister René Wilke also denounces by describing the lack of respect towards them.

The intruders were equipped with a splitting hammer and managed to break into the station and steal the valuable equipment in just four minutes. The financial damage suffered by the fire department as a result amounts to an impressive 35,000 euros. “We have no choice but to rely on friendly fire departments while we wait for the equipment to be replaced,” explained Deputy Mayor Silvio Moritz. The city has already taken steps to improve security by turning over video recordings to police and launching a review of security arrangements. However, the implementation of larger investments is unlikely to take place in the short term due to the financial situation.

A worrying trend

In addition, there is a worrying trend in the region, as reported by the Berlin fire department. This year there has already been an increase in thefts of heavy tools that are essential for operations and rescue operations. As of June 2023, 21 power tools have been stolen, a shocking increase compared to 4 in 2022 and 6 in 2021. The financial damage has therefore accumulated to around 180,000 euros, more than twice as high as in the previous two years combined. Particularly popular with criminals are hydraulic spreaders and cutters, which are used not only for firefighting activities, but also for burglaries and other crimes.

This development is alarming. The fire brigade has been calling for an improvement in safety precautions in the fire stations for some time, which have so far only been inadequately implemented. An example is an incident in which a man attempted to steal items during a fire truck operation but was stopped by the crew. Benjamin Jendro from the police union speaks openly about catastrophic safety conditions and suggests using active firefighter colleagues as security guards. Measures for video surveillance in the guard stations are also urgently needed, because without this the theft of expensive devices is almost child's play for the perpetrators.

In summary, the fire brigade in Brandenburg and Berlin is facing a challenging situation. The theft of vital devices not only has economic consequences, but also endangers the operational readiness and protection of the population. The city and the responsible authorities are called upon to stop this worrying trend and to ensure the safety of the fire stations so that the emergency services can continue to serve the people effectively and reliably.

The security investments and strategic measures that need to be put in place are now more important than ever. It is all the more important to raise public awareness of this issue and to promote respectful treatment of our lifesavers.

For more information on these sad developments, please visit the articles from NNN, rbb24 and Daily Mirror.