A pensioner from Flensburg handed over gold after a fraudulent phone call to an unknown woman. On 11 November 2026, NDR put the loss at around €500,000. Police are looking for witnesses to the handover, which took place on 10 November in the Friesischer Berg area. A caller had previously posed as a police officer and falsely claimed that a burglary was imminent.
According to Flensburg Police Directorate the pensioner handed over the gold outside her home late in the morning. The caller had kept her under pressure for an extended period. A woman collected the valuables. In its statement on 10 November, police had said the amount of the loss was still unknown. On 11 November, NDR then reported a value of around half a million euros and referred to gold bars.
The Criminal Investigation Department 8 is investigating and is looking for people who saw anything in the Friesischer Berg area on 10 November between 10.30 am and noon. The woman sought is described as slim and around 1.60 metres tall; she is estimated to be between 20 and 30 years old. She reportedly had dark hair, wore dark clothing and carried a small brown bag. Investigators also want to know whether she was accompanied or whether anyone saw a conspicuous vehicle. Anyone with information should contact police on 0461 4840.
According to the Police Directorate, the case is linked to a spate of fraudulent calls reported on 10 November. Flensburg was not the only area affected: in the districts of North Frisia and Schleswig-Flensburg unknown callers also posed as police officers.
In this type of scam, police say callers often claim that, following a burglary in the neighbourhood, some suspects have been caught but others are still at large. Those called are led to believe that their own home is also at risk. Using this pretext, callers try to obtain information about valuables and arrange for them to be handed over to strangers.
The Police Directorate stresses that police do not ask about people’s assets over the phone, nor do they collect money or valuables for safekeeping. Prosecutors and other authorities do not do this either. It advises people to tell older relatives, friends and neighbours in particular about such calls.
It remains unclear whether observations from the neighbourhood will help identify the woman who collected the gold. The description and questions about a possible companion or vehicle indicate the direction of the investigation; in themselves, they do not establish the woman’s identity or prove that anyone else was involved.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).