By Dirk Boettger
On Tuesday morning around 1.30 a.m. the police were alerted to Alt-Stralau. Residents reported a triggered alarm system on a vehicle. At the scene, officers found several broken-in cars.
Officers noticed a man on a bicycle who quickly left. The suspect fled in the direction of Rummelsburg Bay, continued onto a jetty and finally landed in the water of the Spree.
The officials alerted the fire brigade, which came with a large contingent, including a boat, divers and a drone with a thermal imaging camera.
The rescuers searched the place where the man landed in the water. The search was called off after more than an hour.
It is unclear whether the car thief made it to shore or went under.
The police secured tracks on the broken-in vehicles until the morning.