The robber approached a counter at about 2.50 p.m. and demanded money. According to Michael Beyer, press officer of the Bonn police, he seems to have threatened a bank employee and a customer. Before fleeing in the direction of Derletalstraße, a shot was fired from the gun in the foyer. "Nobody was injured," said Beyer. However, one of the bank's employees had suffered a shock. The exact circumstance of the firing and whether it was a live weapon or a scare gun was left open by the police late yesterday afternoon.

The man escaped unrecognised and the police searched for him with a tracking dog. "We are searching intensively for the perpetrator," said Beyer. His colleagues secured evidence in the bank and questioned witnesses. For tactical reasons, the police did not want to give any information about the different statements of some witnesses. Later, someone reported that the fugitive had changed direction shortly after leaving the bank and had probably walked through an alley towards the railway station. In his opinion, the man must have known his way around and chosen this escape route deliberately. "There is no car following you, and at the end of the alley you can get away in all directions," he stated.

The police described the perpetrator as a man about 1.80 metres tall, about 20 to 30 years old, with a slender build. His hair was short on the sides and longer on top. The man was wearing grey jeans, a white T-shirt, a leather jacket and a black sweatshirt jacket underneath, as well as black sneakers with a white sole. The police are asking for witnesses on 0228/150 or via the police emergency number 110.

The neighbourhood and passers-by were shocked. It is true that the immediate neighbours had not heard the gunshot in the background noise on the busy thoroughfare and in the hustle and bustle of their own daily lives in the shops. "But it is sad that something like this happens here," said an employee of a neighbouring bakery.

Like the people who had observed the escape route, a passer-by wondered about the robbery itself, especially the timing. Especially at the beginning of the month at this time of day, there is often a long queue of people who want to collect money from the bank. The passer-by herself lives on the Brüser Berg and is more worried about an ATM in the lower area of flats. "I have often been afraid that they will blow it up at some point and someone will get hurt," she said.

While the branch would not reopen on the day of the robbery, according to local police estimates, due to the current investigation and forensics, Sparkasse spokesman Jörg Wehner confirmed that customers would be able to resume arranged appointments on Tuesday. However, there will not be any service at the counter on that day. The bank wants to see what happens in the next few days. Asked about the bank's employees, Wehner explained that there were training courses for them on how to behave in such cases. He left open whether and what kind of psychological support there would be for the employees. "We want to keep that internal," said Wehner.

Original text: Petra Reuter / Translation: Mareike Graepel