High altitude heist shocks Switzerland

Thieves successful Switzerland person conquered 1 of the country's astir challenging protected climbing routes.

They ascended to an altitude of 2,350m and traversed gorges connected constrictive alloy cables - each to rob a postulation box.

The container belongs to a section climbing club, which maintains Switzerland's longest protected climbing way connected the Gemmi walk supra Leukerbad village.

What has caused the biggest daze is that the donation container is accessible lone to the astir experienced climbers.

The route, known arsenic a via ferrata, is classed arsenic level 5, the astir difficult, and involves superior climbing arsenic good arsenic ascending ladders bolted into the vertical stone face, and traversing gorges connected constrictive alloy cables.

"What benignant of radical are these?" wrote the climbing nine connected its Facebook page.

"The climbing nine looks aft the via ferrata for nary salary, we don't inquire for anything, and present idiosyncratic has stolen the wealth donated to support it."

Those who discovered the theft judge it was cautiously planned good successful advance.

The donation container was recovered smashed unfastened and empty. The thieves were not lone bully climbers, equipped with each the indispensable mountaineering kit, they took the tools with them to interruption unfastened the donation container "with brute force" the climbing nine said.

Astonishingly, it appears they past continued their ascent, with the money, to the apical of the Dauberhorn, astatine 2941 metres.

Trying to find retired precisely who committed the transgression whitethorn beryllium hard though - the past fewer days person been cleanable climbing weather, and determination were galore mountaineers enjoying the via ferrata.

The climbing nine is not definite precisely however overmuch wealth was stolen; but nine subordinate and upland usher Richard Werlen told the BBC it was apt to beryllium astatine slightest 400-500 Swiss francs (€420-520; $450-560).

Switzerland is inactive a state wherever currency is utilized connected a regular basis, and the Swiss are arrogant of their voluntary enactment maintaining hiking paths and climbing routes. A donation for specified effort is expected, and gladly given, by ample parts of the population.

But present organisations similar the climbing nine whitethorn wonderment if they request to alteration the mode they question donations.

The pervasiveness of currency successful Switzerland has already led to a spate of robberies of acold amended protected ATM machines.

Millions of francs person been stolen successful the past 3 years alone, causing the Swiss Federal Police to pass that the regularly filled and often poorly monitored machines are becoming a magnet for thieves from crossed Europe.

For the moment, the climbing nine is hoping that whoever stole the wealth volition endure from "a blameworthy conscience", and softly instrumentality it.

And Richard Werlen has immoderate consolation to report. This morning, a section benefactor sent successful 500 francs to regenerate the stolen donations.