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17-year-old brutally attacked in Cloppenburg – witnesses wanted!
On July 13th, 2025 there was a serious attack on a 17-year-old in Cloppenburg. The police are looking for witnesses.
17-year-old brutally attacked in Cloppenburg – witnesses wanted!
A shocking attack occurred on Friday evening in Cloppenburg, in which a 17-year-old was seriously injured. The incident happened around 10 p.m. on the site of a former garbage dump in the Stapelfeld district. The teenager was out with an acquaintance when two unknown men suddenly appeared and brutally attacked her. After the beating, the injured woman managed to get to the hospital on her own. The police have already started an investigation into grievous bodily harm, while the motive for the attack is still unclear. In this context, the police are asking for information from possible witnesses in order to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable. This may prove necessary as similar incidents are not isolated in the region.
A look back at the recent past shows that Cloppenburg is struggling with youth crime. On August 28, 2024, a dangerous physical assault occurred in which three young people between the ages of 16 and 19 pulled a 60-year-old man from his bicycle and brutally kicked him, as [press portal] reports. Such incidents are alarming and are escalating the discussion about youth crime in Germany, which, according to [Statista], reached a peak of around 13,800 cases in 2024. This means more than doubling compared to 2016.
Focus on juvenile crime
The increase in youth clubs, particularly among young people between the ages of 14 and 17 and adolescents up to 20, has sparked worrying discussions. One reason for this development could be, among other things, the psychological stress caused by the corona pandemic and specific risk factors among young people seeking protection. A look at the statistics shows that the number of young suspects for all crimes was reduced by around 6 percent to around 452,000 in 2024 - a noticeable decline compared to over 690,000 in 1998.
What is particularly striking is that juvenile crime is predominantly committed by male perpetrators. In 2024, almost three quarters of the suspects were male. It remains to be clarified how the challenges should be dealt with - from harsher punishments to increased prevention through child and youth welfare. This would be necessary to prevent future crimes and to offer young people a better path.
Although the acts cannot be viewed alone for the sake of a fundamental discussion about juvenile law and the social conditions that lead to such incidents, it is important not to close our eyes to the reality. How will the police react? And what can we do as a society to strengthen our youth's sense of security?