Massive Ammunition Heist Raises Security Alarm in Germany

Fri Dec 05 2025 05:34:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A large cache of ammunition has been stolen in Germany, prompting an investigation and raising concerns about security and the potential misuse of military supplies.

In a significant security breach, nearly 20,000 rounds of ammunition were stolen from a delivery lorry in Burg, eastern Germany. The incident occurred when a civilian transport driver left the lorry unattended in an unguarded lot. The military has initiated an investigation, and concerns are mounting regarding the implications of such ammunition falling into the wrong hands.

A shipment of German ammunition has been stolen from a delivery lorry in the eastern town of Burg, the country's defence ministry has confirmed.

Officials speaking to Germany's DPA news agency did not specify how much was taken. However, weekly news magazine Der Spiegel cited an unnamed spokesperson as saying it was close to 20,000 rounds.

The theft is believed to have occurred when the driver for a civilian transport company, contracted by the military, left his truck unattended overnight in an unguarded parking lot on November 25.

The following day, upon arrival at the nearby Clausewitz Barracks, the delivery team discovered the ammunition missing. In response, the army has launched an investigation alongside police.

According to reports, the shipment comprised 10,000 rounds of live ammunition for pistols, 9,900 rounds of blank bullets for assault rifles, and smoke grenades.

Authorities have yet to confirm whether there have been any arrests or suspects identified, which has intensified security concerns about who might acquire the missing supplies.

The defence ministry has emphasized the seriousness of the incident, stating, This kind of ammunition must not fall into the wrong hands. A significant focus of the Bundeswehr (German army)'s investigation will be assessing why the driver failed to identify a secure stopping location, as the German public broadcaster MDR noted that there are provisions such as hotlines and military escorts available to drivers in such situations.

The driver reportedly spent the night in a nearby hotel, leaving the vehicle in an unguarded lot. This incident adds to a worrying trend, with previous reports of missing ammunition in the Saxony-Anhalt region, including 90 and 180 rounds reported lost earlier in the year, though no direct connection has been established between these occurrences.