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Berlin Prosecutors Link New Year’s Day Arrestee to Three Arsons on Cold-Weather Outreach Buses

The service kept operating with replacement vehicles despite two buses being destroyed.

Overview

  • Authorities say the 43-year-old detained on January 1 is now suspected of all three attacks on the Berliner Stadtmission fleet.
  • Security staff caught him at the scene on New Year’s Day, he is in pretrial detention after an alcohol test registered 1.6‰, and he has not cooperated.
  • Stadtmission says two buses are beyond repair and a third can be fixed but is currently out of service.
  • Three loaned vehicles from partner organizations are covering routes, with donations including €70,000 from Deutsche Bahn supporting replacements.
  • Prosecutors are pursuing arson probes in at least two cases, police cite a Moabit witness from December, and the motive remains unclear.