Fewer passengers in Germany affected by theft, police figures show

Less luggage has been stolen at stations and on trains in Germany, according to police figures covering the period from January to October.

The figures released on Wednesday showed that 16,891 such cases of theft of bags and hand luggage were reported. In the same period last year, there were 20,379. In 2023, this figure was only slightly lower.

There was a decline this year in thefts both at stations and on trains. Many cases were recorded by the Federal Police by October in regional transport (2,834), in high-speed trains (2,519) and in local transport (2,129).

The statistics cover all railway companies. According to the figures, 8,450 such offences were reported at stations by October.

Statistics for the entire year 2025 are not yet available. The basis of the figures is the so-called Police Entry Statistics. This means that offences are recorded when they become known to the police.

Thousands of officers deployed

According to German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, an estimated 20 million travellers and visitors are counted daily at the 5,700 stations. Measured against this number, the risk of becoming a victim of a crime is very low, said a company spokeswoman.

Nationwide, nearly 6,000 Federal Police officers and around 4,500 security personnel are on duty around the clock for Deutsche Bahn to protect passengers and employees.

According to the Federal Police, the number of bodily injuries is almost at the previous year's level, with 13,393 such offences reported by October, the agency told dpa. Most cases were recorded at stations, with 2,640 on trains on open tracks - most of them in regional and local transport.