Federal authorities execute an arrest warrant during border checks on Motorway 3 in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, as per BPOL NRW.
In an unexpected turn of events, a 21-year-old Romanian was apprehended by the Federal Police at the Knauheide rest area on the A3 on the evening of August 26, 2025. The individual, who was driving a car registered in Altenkirchen, was wanted by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Krefeld for theft.
The arrest took place at around 20:50, as the Romanian entered the federal territory via the Elten-Autobahn border crossing. A check of his personal data in the police records revealed the outstanding warrant.
Following the arrest, further measures were coordinated with the Foreigners' Office in Cologne on Wednesday morning. The Romanian was found to have an entry and residence ban against him, issued by the Foreigners' Office in Berlin for a period of five years in both 2017 and 2022.
In a separate incident, a 44-year-old Lithuanian entered the federal territory as a passenger on an international bus traveling from Amsterdam to Medyka at 22:15 on the same day. The Lithuanian was not checked by the Federal Police Directorate Sankt Augustin, but by officers at the station in Kleve.
Despite initial investigations, no direct information about the arrest of the Lithuanian was available from the search. However, it was confirmed that the Lithuanian was not the driver of a registered vehicle, but traveled as a passenger on a bus.
After paying the fines, the Romanian was able to continue his journey following the completion of the measures. Contrastingly, the Lithuanian was not subject to any fines or procedural costs during this incident.
Two residence searches by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Cologne for bodily harm are currently underway, but no further details regarding these cases were provided. The Lithuanian remains in the custody of the Federal Police.
The incident at the Knauheide rest area serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to the laws and regulations when traveling, and the diligent work of the authorities in maintaining law and order. Further investigations and coordination with relevant authorities are expected to continue in the coming days.
