Bild: German couple allegedly stole €1.9 million from parking meters

A married couple in Germany has been accused of a major theft scheme involving parking meters, according to Bild.

Investigators say that over more than ten years, the pair managed to steal around €1.9 million. The main suspect is a 40-year-old city employee from Kempten, who reportedly had access to parking meter maintenance, while his 38-year-old wife assisted him.

According to prosecutors, the scheme operated for years: the man would empty the meters and divert part of the proceeds. The fraud involved at least hundreds of individual incidents. The operation was uncovered in November 2025 after a bank reported suspicious financial transactions. Authorities traced the activity to the couple, who were subsequently arrested and have remained in custody since.

The stolen funds were allegedly deposited into bank accounts or converted into gift vouchers at supermarkets, helping conceal their origin.

Although some of the incidents fall outside the statute of limitations, prosecutors are seeking confiscation of the illegally obtained money. Following the exposure of the scheme, city authorities strengthened security: locks on parking meters were replaced, and maintenance responsibilities were outsourced to an external company.