Fewer passengers in Germany affected by theft, police figures show

Fewer bags were stolen at stations and on trains in Germany, according to police figures covering the period from January to October.

Figures released on Wednesday show that 16,891 cases of bag and hand luggage thefts were reported. During the same period last year, there were 20,379. In 2023, this figure was only slightly lower.

This year, thefts have decreased both at stations and on trains. Numerous cases were recorded by the federal police until October in regional transport (2,834), on high-speed trains (2,519) and in local transport (2,129).

The statistics cover all railway companies. According to figures, 8,450 offenses of this type were reported to police stations in October.

Statistics for the whole of 2025 are not yet available. The basis of the figures is the so-called police entry statistics. This means that offenses are recorded as soon as they become known to the police.

Thousands of officers deployed

According to the German railway operator Deutsche Bahn, around 20 million travelers and visitors are counted daily at the 5,700 stations. Compared to this figure, the risk of becoming a victim of crime is very low, a company spokeswoman said.

Nationwide, almost 6,000 federal police officers and around 4,500 security guards are on duty around the clock for Deutsche Bahn to protect passengers and employees.

According to the federal police, the number of personal injuries is almost at the level of the previous year, with 13,393 such crimes reported in October, the agency told dpa. Most cases were recorded at stations, with 2,640 on trains on open tracks – most of them on regional and local transport.