Stolen Ammunition Raises Concerns Over Security in Germany

Sun Dec 07 2025 04:03:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a troubling incident, approximately 20,000 rounds of German ammunition were stolen from a delivery lorry, raising security concerns within the military and prompting investigations.

A shipment of nearly 20,000 rounds of ammunition was reported stolen from a lorry in Burg, Germany, after the driver left the vehicle unattended. The incident has sparked investigations by military and police authorities, highlighting potential security lapses in how military supplies are handled.

A shipment of German ammunition has been stolen from a delivery lorry in the eastern town of Burg, the country's defence ministry reported. Though the military has not specified the exact amount taken, weekly news magazine Der Spiegel indicated that the theft involved close to 20,000 rounds.

The incident occurred when the driver, who works for a civilian transport company contracted by the military, left the lorry in an unguarded parking spot overnight on November 25. Upon delivery the following day at the nearby Clausewitz Barracks, the ammunition was found to be missing. An investigation has since been initiated by the army in collaboration with police authorities.

Reportedly, the shipment included 10,000 rounds of live ammunition for handguns, 9,900 rounds of blank rounds for assault rifles, and smoke grenades. While authorities have not disclosed whether any arrests have been made, the potential for such ammunition to be misused has raised security alarms.

The defence ministry expressed serious concern over the theft, emphasizing that this type of ammunition should not end up in the wrong hands. A key area of focus for the Bundeswehr (German army) investigation will be why the driver did not choose a secure location. According to Germany's public broadcaster MDR, a special hotline exists to assist drivers with securing safe stops, and escorts can be provided if deemed necessary.

This incident is part of a concerning trend in the Saxony-Anhalt region. In August, local police reported about 90 rounds of ammunition missing, and a few weeks prior, 180 rounds were unaccounted for in a similar area, although no connections have been established between these cases.