Agency Report
Frankfurt – A stand-off in a German bank has ended peacefully after a man who held a 21-year-old employee against her will for three hours was detained by police.
The incident in the small western town of Rimbach on Tuesday saw a 36-year-old man threaten the worker with a tool after forcing his way into the bank at around 8 am (0700 GMT), police in the central state of Hesse said.
Officers were eventually able to arrest the man without resistance, with both the suspect and the victim physically unharmed.
The suspect’s motive remains unclear and police have not said whether he was intending to steal money from the branch.
A video believed to be of the stand-off showed a man threatening a distressed woman with an object while holding her around the neck.
“The situation was ended without bloodshed, and that is always the bottom line for us,” a police spokesman said.
A negotiation team was reportedly at the scene, with special police forces also alerted.
An investigation is under way into the incident, with officers considering a search of the suspect’s home.
Police did not explicitly label the situation a hostage situation, as it was unclear whether the suspect was making demands of police.
