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SUV with a damaged tire in Berlin: According to the police, the letter of confession came from the group “The Tire Extinguishers”
Photo: Jean-Philippe Laurent / aal.photo / IMAGO
According to the Berlin police, around 1,100 car owners filed a complaint last year because their tires were deflated. These are significantly more cases than in 2022 with 342 reports. A spokeswoman said on Saturday that 341 cases had already been reported this year by the end of March. The Berlin local newspaper “BZ” had previously reported. “The number of unreported cases in these cases is very high,” added the police spokeswoman. Car owners often do not file a complaint. For example, because they did not assume a deliberate act or because they lacked time due to important appointments.
Reports are often not filed for damage to property, "but rather for missed business, travel or doctor's appointments as well as the inability to use the vehicle on the accusation of coercion," the "BZ" quoted the police's response.
The police spokeswoman explained that there was clearly a political motivation behind the actions, which is why the state security agency is investigating. This could be the case with letters of responsibility or if several mostly high-quality vehicles were affected on a street at the same time.
Arrest in Brandenburg
Last December, the Berlin police received 31 reports after air was let out of the tires of numerous cars in Lichtenberg or the tires were even punctured. Leaflets from the group “The Tire Extinguishers” were found on many vehicles. According to their own statements, the activists are letting the air out of the tires of large vehicles such as off-road vehicles to draw attention to climate protection and are traveling in various German and European cities. The group had already attracted attention through similar actions in the past.
A suspect was arrested in Brandenburg just over a week ago as part of an investigation against environmental activists who allegedly let air out of car tires. According to its own information, the Potsdam public prosecutor's office is investigating the man on suspicion of damage to property in several cases and on the intentional unauthorized possession of chemicals. The tires of several cars in the Babelsberg district of Potsdam had previously been deflated. Shortly afterwards, the police arrested the accused, it was said.
Since last summer, a series of crimes have occurred in Potsdam in which unknown persons let the air out of dozens of car tires. Some of the perpetrators left behind notes with messages. Since a political background is suspected, the state security agency is investigating. According to the public prosecutor's office, the perpetrators may also be environmental activists from the group "The Tire Extinguishers."
hpi/dpa