Top 50 Hungarian criminal caught in Germany

A man wanted for years and also on the police Top 50 list has been arrested in Germany, the National Investigation Office of the Hungarian Police Service said on Monday on police.hu.

The 23-year-old man was first wanted in March 2020, but twelve more followed. His list of crimes includes arbitrary taking of a vehicle, criminal mischief, theft, possession of drugs and drug trafficking, as well as armed robbery, the statement said.

The man’s name has been raised as a possible perpetrator of armed shop robberies in Hungary. The Bács-Kiskun County Police Headquarters subsequently issued the Hungarian arrest warrant against him, while the Kecskemét District Court issued the international one, they added.

Investigators contacted their German counterparts through ENFAST (European Network of Targeting Units) after several pieces of information indicated that the wanted man might be in the north-western part of Germany.

As there was a fear that the man might be in possession of a live firearm, a special unit of the German partner agency carried out the arrest in Coesfeld on the morning of 20 July.

The fugitive tried to flee but was apprehended by police and his extradition will be decided by a German court at a later date, the police statement said.