Two apprehensions following an alarming phone call in Cologne-Dellbrück, police report
A series of events unfolded last week, starting with a seemingly ordinary phone call that turned out to be anything but. On a typical afternoon around 2:15 PM, a 69-year-old man in an unspecified location received a call. The caller, who claimed to be his daughter, was in distress, stating that she was in the hospital with a severe COVID-19 infection. The nature of the call was a scam attempt to acquire a large sum of money. The caller requested a six-figure sum of money for urgent infusions.
Fortunately, the elderly man's wife, also 69, had her suspicions. She quickly called the police emergency number, reporting the suspicious call. This call, later dubbed a "shock call", set off a chain of events that led to several arrests and court cases across Europe.
Responding officers found one of the suspects right outside the couple's home. Further investigations led to the arrest of two more suspects in Cologne-Dellbrück on Thursday (24th July). These suspects, from Italy and Poland, were allegedly involved in money laundering activities. An alleged accomplice was also arrested in a nearby park.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, three young men: two German-Lebanese brothers from Mannheim and one German-Turkish man from Hessen, are expected to be brought before a judge today. They are accused of planning an attack with ties to ISIS ideology. A 35-year-old woman is also on trial for manslaughter of her newborn, who she reportedly placed in a washing machine where the baby died.
These events serve as a reminder to stay vigilant against scams and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities. The power of a single call can lead to significant changes, as demonstrated in this case. As investigations continue, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the intricate web of crimes that were disrupted by a simple phone call.
