Railway Sabotage inquiry: Identifying the individual who placed stones on the tracks in Tostedt on Sunday
In the small town of Tostedt, on August 31, 2025, an unusual incident occurred that disrupted the railway line between Bremen and Hamburg. Unknown individuals placed stones on the tracks near the "Schulstraße" road bridge, causing delays for five trains and potentially posing a significant risk to both the perpetrators and unsuspecting bystanders.
The incident, which occurred at 14:20 and 14:54, affected a Metronom train and a freight train. Trains may be damaged or, in the worst case, derail due to stones on the tracks. Fortunately, no accidents were reported, but the incident caused delays of 21 minutes.
The Tostedt police removed more stones from the tracks, but no suspects were found. The Federal Police are now investigating this dangerous interference with rail traffic, and they are appealing for witnesses who observed anything on the railway tracks near the "Schulstraße" road bridge on August 31, 2025.
Witnesses are asked to contact the Federal Police Inspectorate Bremen at 0421/16299-7777 or by email at [email protected]. For further inquiries, contact the Federal Police Inspectorate Bremen Press Spokesperson Simon Gruhl at 0421 16299 - 6101 or 0172 - 34 67 750 via email at [email protected].
The Federal Police warn that entering railway premises is always life-threatening. Placing stones on railway tracks increases the risk of the stones becoming uncontrolled projectiles when hit by trains. This poses a risk not only to the perpetrators but also to unsuspecting bystanders.
The incident near the "Schulstraße" road bridge also occurred near the premises of a local sports club. The official website for the Federal Police is www.bundespolizei.de, and they can also be followed on Twitter @bpol_nord.
As the investigation continues, the identity of the lead investigator from the Federal Police Inspection Bremen dealing with the incident on the rail tracks in Tostedt on August 31, 2025, remains unknown. The Federal Police are urging anyone with information to come forward to help ensure the safety of the community and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
