Leipzig's terrorist neighbor is now housed in a specialist hospital. The case also pushed the police and authorities to their limits.
By Angela Panini and Enrico Glazner
Leipzig – Breathe a sigh of relief at Margaretha-Rothe-Straße 30 in Leipzig-Meusdorf: The Terror Neighbor, which causes fear and terror within the household for weeksis now housed in a specialist hospital. This was preceded by intensive cooperation between the police and authorities, which also pushed them to their limits.
Since the beginning of October, the unpredictable man had repeatedly smashed windows and shutters in the apartment complex, made wild threats or cut off the power supply.
In the first month of his rage alone, around a dozen crimes were committed by the troublemaker, as police spokesman Olaf Hoppe told TAG24.
The GRK group responsible for property management is committed to protecting residents through a security service. At the same time, the police initiated resources and forces to find a solution and to help the man and those affected equally.
Fare evader threatens police in Leipzig with a glass bottle
Then on November 2nd the sad climax: With a flex, the terrorist neighbor on one floor tried to force open several apartment doors. He is also said to have threatened the security service with a knife. The employee ran to safety and called the police.
A SEK unit finally put an end to the goings-on. The man was overpowered and taken to a specialist hospital for the first time. However, 24 hours later he was back. The terror on Margaretha-Rothe-Strasse continues.
Police secure evacuation of the apartment: “It’s not clear whether he would be flown out of the hospital”
On November 15th, the violent perpetrator tried to break the windows of the Lidl supermarket in the same building. He later went on a rampage at a nearby car dealership where vehicles were said to be damaged. The police had to intervene again.
When the health department visited him on the morning of November 26th, he went crazy again in the afternoon, threw firecrackers around and cut off the TV, internet and telephone connections in the entire house. He went to the specialist hospital again.
The GRK property management had meanwhile obtained an eviction from his apartment through the court for December 2nd. This ultimately took place without him: the so-called “Hammermann” was already being treated at this point.
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Die police Still kept watch on site. “Because it wasn’t clear whether he would be flown out of the hospital,” said Hoppe.
Terrorist neighbor undergoing treatment: “This also requires hurdles from the state”
According to TAG24 information, the fact that the man was repeatedly taken to a specialist hospital, but was not given long-term help there, is due to the fact that the health department was initially unable to identify any acute danger to himself or others when he was assessed.
Police spokesman Hoppe explained: “Here the state in the form of the police, public prosecutor and health department acts against a person and in doing so encroaches on the freedom of the person, on a fundamental right. This is the highest level of intervention possible.”
There are rightly very high legal hurdles for this. “It doesn’t make it any easier for the residents because his behavior is naturally frightening,” he added, saying: “We understand that too. That’s why we tried hard to find a solution here.”
The totality of the offenses ultimately led to the decision to forcibly house the man for some time. “The state must always be able to assess whether it can take action so as not to act arbitrarily,” Hoppe continued. This could sometimes be a developmental process, especially for a person with psychological problems.
Peace is finally returning for the residents of Margaretha-Rothe-Straße. “Work is already underway to repair the damage, some of it has already been repaired,” TAG24 learned from the GRK property management.
The police are still keeping an eye on the case in order to ensure that the address provided remains calm in the future. “The crimes are still being investigated,” said the police spokesman.