Masked intruder breaks into German chancellor’s apartment building – media

Olaf Scholz was not at home during the incident, which was caught on surveillance footage

A man wearing what appears to be a Halloween mask broke into the building where German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lives on Sunday, according to media reports. The incident was caught on security cameras installed around the chancellor’s property.

In a screenshot from the surveillance footage shared by Der Spiegel, the would-be burglar is seen wearing a Halloween mask, gloves, a headlamp, and a hoodie as he broke into the building in Potsdam, where Scholz lives with his wife, Britta Ernst. The intruder reportedly managed to break into the apartment of one of Scholz’s neighbors, but fled when he was noticed.

Der Spiegel reported that Scholz was not at home when the attempted burglary took place, as he was attending a coalition committee meeting in the chancellery.

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Beate Kardels, a spokeswoman for the Brandenburg police, told Bild news outlet that the unidentified man tried to break into the apartment at around 8:30pm, when he was reported to the police by one of Scholz’s neighbors.

“We drove there immediately, but the perpetrator fled as soon as he was noticed,” Kardels said, adding that officers conducted a search for clues at the crime scene and have secured the surveillance film. 

“We’re investigating an attempted burglary. We have also arranged for an increased patrol of the house and its surroundings,” the spokeswoman added.

According to Bild, Scholz and Ernst have been living in the apartment building in Potsdam since 2021, after their previous residence was broken into several times despite being guarded by police.