Thieves in the act: Pickup stolen and hunted in Stralsund!

Thieves in the act: Pickup stolen and hunted in Stralsund!

On December 28, 2025, a remarkable incident occurred in Stralsund when a 23-year-old Afghan citizen, who was already known to the police, stole an Isuzu D-Max pickup. At around 1:50 p.m., the Neubrandenburg police were informed of the theft in the fast food restaurant on Greifswalder Chaussee, whereupon search measures were immediately initiated by the Stralsund police headquarters and surrounding departments. The rapid response of the emergency services meant that the stolen vehicle was later found in Grimmen Ost. The suspected driver fled from the pickup, but was caught and temporarily arrested by the emergency services from the Grimmen motorway police station. Further investigations were carried out by the criminal investigation service of the Anklam criminal police station. This original report was published by the Neubrandenburg Police Headquarters, and the circumstances of this incident shine a spotlight on theft crime in the region.

The current incident fits into a larger context: According to the police crime statistics (PKS) for 2024, which will be published on April 2, 2025, a total of around 5.8 million crimes were registered in the previous year. Theft crimes accounted for over 1.94 million cases, which corresponds to around a third of all crimes. Police recorded a 1.6% drop in theft crime last year compared to 2023, although the number of theft offenses in 2024 was still above 2019 levels. Possible reasons for this decline could be technical security measures and increased awareness among the population.

The development of theft crime

PKS data shows that different types of theft have varying trends. For example, while shoplifting fell by 5% to 404,907 cases, there was a slight increase in residential burglaries, highlighting the need for precautionary measures. Over half of the thefts that go unreported result in additional unreported cases, which indicates that many crimes remain undetected.

Another interesting detail is the high clearance rate for vehicle thefts, which is 91.7%. In addition to general trends, optimizing security measures and using technologies such as GPS trackers is crucial. These developments have contributed to fewer opportunities to commit crimes, which in turn has an impact on overall crime statistics.

Conclusion and outlook

Although the overall data on theft crime shows some declines, the individual case in Stralsund remains a sign that law enforcement must continue to be vigilant. Considering the general trends in theft crime and the dangers associated with it, it is of great importance for the population to be more vigilant and take security measures. The situation requires not only preventive action, but also an informed and enlightened community that works together to combat crime.