Switzerland: Brazen thieves conquer challenging climbing route to plunder donation box

Switzerland has been left astounded as audacious thieves successfully conquered one of the nation’s most formidable protected climbing routes. Scaling heights of 2,350 meters and navigating narrow gorges via slender steel cables, their mission was to raid a contribution box. The targeted box is the property of a nearby mountaineering club, entrusted with upkeeping Switzerland’s lengthiest safeguarded climbing route, situated along the Gemmi pass above the village of Leukerbad. The element that has induced the most disbelief is that only the most skilled climbers can access the donation box. The route, identified as a via ferrata, is designated as level 5 - the highest difficulty grade. It entails demanding rock climbing, ascending ladders firmly secured to vertical rock faces, and traversing gorges on precarious steel cables. In a post on its Facebook page, the climbing club expressed, “What manner of individuals are these? The climbing club dedicates itself to maintaining the via ferrata without remuneration, expecting nothing in return. And now, someone has absconded with the funds meant for its preservation.” The culprits, presumed to have meticulously planned their act well in advance, were discovered to be adept climbers, furnished with all the necessary mountaineering equipment. They also carried the means to forcibly unlock the donation box, as disclosed by the climbing club. In an astonishing turn of events, the thieves apparently continued their ascent, taking the stolen money with them to the summit of Dauberhorn, which stands at an impressive 2,941 meters. Identifying the perpetrators could prove to be a formidable challenge. The recent days have provided impeccable climbing weather, attracting numerous mountaineers to the via ferrata. While the exact amount of stolen funds remains uncertain, Richard Werlen, a member of the club and a mountain guide, informed the BBC that it is likely to be a minimum of 400-500 Swiss francs (€420-520; $450-560). Switzerland remains a nation where cash transactions are commonplace, and the population takes pride in voluntarily preserving hiking trails and climbing pathways. Consequently, contributions for such endeavors are anticipated and willingly given. However, entities like the climbing club may now contemplate altering their fundraising approaches. The prevalence of cash in Switzerland has already led to a series of thefts targeting better-protected ATM machines. Millions of francs have been purloined in recent years, prompting the Swiss Federal Police to caution that these often inadequately supervised cash dispensers are attracting thieves from all corners of Europe. For now, the climbing club holds hope that the guilty culprits will be plagued by remorse and return the ill-gotten gains discreetly. In a small comfort, Richard Werlen reported that a local benefactor has stepped in, contributing 500 francs to replace the stolen funds.