In a tragic incident near Lauchhammer, Brandenburg, a 32-year-old German police officer lost his life during an operation targeting car thieves. Four Polish nationals, including the main suspect, have been arrested in connection with the killing.
The primary suspect, a 37-year-old Polish man, is accused of deliberately running over the officer with his vehicle. Authorities believe he was driving a “pilot” car, typically used to scout ahead of stolen vehicles and alert accomplices about police presence. The officer, part of the Saxony police force, had been attempting to deploy a nail barrier to stop a fleeing vehicle when the suspect swerved and struck him.
Brandenburg police, in a statement, confirmed that the officer was preparing to access the trunk of his vehicle when he was fatally hit. After a high-speed chase, authorities apprehended the suspects, who were reportedly split between two cars, one of which had been stolen.
“Three other Polish suspects aged 36 and 37 are being investigated for commercial gang-related receipt of stolen goods, commercial gang-related theft, and other crimes. All of them have been provisionally arrested,” stated the public prosecutor’s office.
The officer, who had served on the force since 2018, leaves behind a young daughter. He was part of a special investigative team focusing on Polish car theft rings, a persistent issue in Brandenburg. To honor his memory, emergency vehicles in both Brandenburg and Saxony have been adorned with black ribbons, and flags are flying at half-mast across the region.
This incident underscores the growing dangers faced by German police. In 2024, another officer was brutally stabbed to death by an Islamist attacker in Mannheim, highlighting the escalating risks in the line of duty.
The investigation continues, with German authorities working to bring justice for the slain officer and his grieving family.
