Saxony's Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit Against Security Firm Dismissed

Dresden - In a significant legal setback, the Free State of Saxony has lost a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the security firm responsible for guarding the treasures housed in the Green Vault. This comes in the wake of a notorious heist executed by members of the Remmo clan in November 2019, where valuable artifacts from the reign of Augustus the Strong were stolen from the Dresden Residence Castle, incurring damages estimated at around 115 million euros.

Five members of the Remmo clan were subsequently convicted for their roles in the theft. In an effort to recover some of the losses, Saxony initiated legal proceedings against the DWSI (Dresdner Wach- & Sicherungsinstitut GmbH), claiming approximately 15.3 million euros in damages. The case has been under deliberation at the Dresden District Court since April 2023.

However, presiding Judge Ralf Högner ruled against the state's claims, stating that the court would only support two of the ten allegations made against the security company. These allegations included the deactivation of an exterior scanner prior to the theft, as well as the failure to activate an alarm when the theft was detected.

Judge Högner concluded that, while there were shortcomings in the security measures, they did not directly contribute to preventing the damages incurred during the heist. He emphasized that even had the security firm acted as per their contractual obligations, it would not have significantly altered the outcome of the situation.

During the trial, Saxony highlighted various points of negligence attributed to the security personnel. Notably, it was alleged that the external scanner had been turned off the evening before the incident due to frequent false alarms. On the day of the theft, security staff reportedly opted to call emergency services instead of pressing the alarm button when a motion detector was triggered in the jewelry room. This delay, the state argued, could have allowed law enforcement to apprehend the culprits on-site.

Despite this ruling, the judge noted that even with a quicker police response, it is unlikely that the alarm system would have effectively thwarted the break-in, as the Remmo clan was believed to be aware of its limitations.

In a related development, the Free State of Saxony now faces substantial legal costs due to the outcome of the case, estimated at around half a million euros. Following the ruling, Saxony's attorney indicated that they would consider an appeal, suggesting that the higher court might view the case differently.

Moreover, the Remmo clan has yet to compensate Saxony for the stolen items. Although a portion of the jewelry was returned following a plea deal, the state claims it is still owed approximately 76 million euros. There are ongoing enforcement measures regarding this matter, as well as proceedings concerning the potential seizure of the clan's assets.

Interestingly, despite their previous failures, the security firm has retained the contract to guard the Green Vault's treasures, having been awarded the task again in 2023. This decision raises questions about the adequacy of oversight and accountability within the security arrangements in place for such historically significant artifacts.