Police arrest two men and seize weapons after cross-border chase from Innsbruck to Bavaria
German police arrested two men and recovered a cache of long guns in Mittenwald on Friday after suspects burglarized an Innsbruck gun shop and fled across the border.
Burglary in Innsbruck
The break-in occurred around 6:00 on Friday morning, 2 October 2026, at a gun shop in the Austrian city of Innsbruck. The perpetrators broke into the commercial premises during the early morning hours and smashed glass display cabinets to access stored firearms. Initial reports from Austrian police indicated that multiple display cases were shattered, though whether weapons had been successfully removed remained initially unconfirmed during the immediate aftermath of the break-in. The perpetrators loaded firearms into a stolen passenger car and fled the Tyrolean capital, driving north along the Zirler Berg mountain route toward the German border. Austrian police alerted law enforcement authorities in Bavaria as the vehicle crossed the international frontier.
Pursuit and crash near Mittenwald
The suspects entered the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen before losing control of the stolen vehicle in the Mittenwald area. Following the traffic collision, the occupants abandoned the damaged car on site and continued their escape on foot into the surrounding terrain. The Southern Upper Bavaria Police headquarters launched an extensive search operation that extended beyond Mittenwald across southern Upper Bavaria. The tactical response mobilized numerous ground investigators, a police helicopter, patrol units from the Federal Police, detectives from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office, and tactical special response units.
- Perpetrators break into an Innsbruck gun shop and smash display cases
- Suspects flee via Zirler Berg across the German border in a stolen car
- The getaway vehicle crashes and the occupants continue fleeing on foot
- Police arrest two suspects aged 30 and 34 and recover long guns from the vehicle
Arrests and recovery of long guns
Search units apprehended two male suspects, aged 30 and 34, during operations in the surrounding area. Police officials withheld details regarding the exact locations and tactical circumstances of the arrests to avoid compromising ongoing operational measures. Upon examining the crashed getaway vehicle, investigators discovered and secured a large quantity of long guns taken during the Innsbruck burglary. Police confirmed that both detainees faced immediate questioning regarding the identities of their accomplices and the route of the cross-border theft.
A spokesperson for the Southern Upper Bavaria Police headquarters addressed the questioning of the two captured men.
Now we have two who know something we do not know. They will of course be questioned. The question is whether they say anything.
Ongoing manhunt and public warnings
Search operations continued across the region as police confirmed that multiple suspects remained at large in the area. The police spokesperson explained that while two men were in custody, the exact total number of individuals involved in the break-in and subsequent flight remained undetermined. Law enforcement officials designated the ongoing manhunt as their top operational priority and issued safety directives to local communities. The police explicitly instructed drivers throughout the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district not to pick up hitchhikers and warned residents against approaching any suspicious individuals.
The police headquarters stated the potential danger in an official warning notice.
According to current findings, it cannot be ruled out that the previously unknown perpetrators are armed.
German and Austrian police continue their joint investigation, urging members of the public to convey relevant tips and sightings directly to emergency services or to the nearest police station.
