Crime on Hesse's highways: alarming numbers and raids!

Crime on Hesse's highways: alarming numbers and raids!

On February 6, 2025, it was reported that crime at Hesse's motorway rest and parking spaces in 2023 fell to 1,746 cases, compared to 1,965 crimes in 2022. The vast majority of the offenses revolve around tank fraud, while even more serious crime such as thefts and property damage is registered. Particularly severe thefts on or from vehicles as well as unauthorized stays are further problems. The data provided by the police crime statistics show a positive trend in the security situation because the number of cases has decreased compared to the previous year. The details can be found in hessenschau.de .

An alarming point remains, however: an attack on a foreign coach on a motorway parking lot on the A3 near Niedernhausen occurred, with robber capturing several cell phones with pulled weapons. Fortunately, this incident remained without injuries. Experts consider raids at rest areas as rare exceptions, often limited to truck thefts and similar acts. These findings are also supported by Zeit.de

security situation and prevention measures

The police have therefore paid special attention to commercial and gang-like offenses and implements preventive measures. This includes the distribution of information materials such as flyers and posters to truck drivers as well as regular strips in the evening and night hours. The security situation on the rest areas depends heavily on the location, the frequency of visitors and the structural design. Smaller and remote parking spaces are often less frequented at night, which can negatively influence the feeling of security.

An ADAC test from 2022 showed that unmanageable rest areas in Hesse are often poorly illuminated. A positive example is the “Schäferborn” rest area on the A5 near Frankfurt, which has good lighting and no dark corners. The ADAC therefore calls for a comprehensive modernization of the unmanaged rest areas, in particular with regard to lighting and clarity.

infrastructure and equipment

In total, there are 158 managed and unmanaged rest areas in Hesse, of which around 90 percent of which are equipped with emergency call columns. There are plans to install an emergency column on every rest area. Starting systems with toilet buildings are basically illuminated, while smaller systems are gradually equipped with lighting without such facilities. The maintenance of emergency call columns and lighting is regularly in accordance with the requirements of Autobahn GmbH of the federal government, which is responsible for the infrastructure and duty of traffic safety of the rest areas, such as Augsburger-allgemeine.de reported.