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CRIME

Two dangerous criminals escape Aachen prison

Police have issued a warning to the public after two dangerous criminals escaped from an Aachen prison on Thursday night. The men, who were serving sentences for murder and kidnapping, are believed to be armed.

Two dangerous criminals escape Aachen prison
Heckhoff (l), and Michalski (r). Photo: DPA

Police remain unclear on how Michael Heckhoff (50) and Peter Paul Michalski (48) were able to overpower a guard and gatekeeper to make their escape, but know that they forced two taxi drivers to take them to Cologne’s city centre early in the morning. There they fled on foot, after which police lost all traces of their whereabouts, they said.

Police have launched a large-scale manhunt with helicopters and sealed off parts of the city with increased security at train stations and airports.

On Friday afternoon, police said that a witness had reported a “very concrete” sighting of the two escapees outside a hardware store in Dierdorf, a city some 80 kilometres away in the neighbouring state of Rhineland-Palatinate. But checkpoints at various interregional transportation junctions have proved to be fruitless so far, they said.

Anyone who sees the two is advised to keep their distance and notify police immediately.

The Aachen men’s prison from which the men escaped is considered to be among the most modern in Europe. Some 800 of the Germany’s most dangerous criminals are currently serving their sentences there.

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BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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