Robbers dig 100ft tunnel to raid bank vault

German police say robbers dug a 100ft tunnel into the safe deposit room of a Berlin bank and escaped with their haul, setting a fire as they left to cover their tracks.

Berlin police spokesman Thomas Neuendorf says the tunnel led from an underground garage into the bank’s safe deposit room.

Neuendorf said that the tunnel was “very professional” and must have taken weeks or even months to complete.

It was elaborately constructed and even had ceiling supports.

The thieves had smashed through reinforced concrete to dig their tunnel, meaning they must have had access to heavy duty equipment.

Exactly how much money was stolen from the Volksbank branch has not been revealed and police said they had no idea where the ground excavated from the tunnel had ended up.

Police were alerted to the break-in early yesterday when a security guard noticed smoke coming from the deposit room.

Neuendorf says police are still trying to determine what valuables were stolen from the deposit boxes.

Details of the heist called to mind the spectacular robbery of another Berlin bank in 1995.

During that robbery thieves entered the bank through the door, took a hostage and demanded a helicopter and ransom.

Police besieged and eventually stormed the safe room where the thieves had holed up only to find out they had escaped through a tunnel dug by accomplices.

Several — but not all — of the thieves were later caught.