Shots fired in second Berlin bank robbery attempt in days

German police are searching for a group of men who attempted to rob a Berlin bank in broad daylight on Tuesday, the second such bid the capital has seen in days.

Shots were fired after the men attempted to drive into a local bank branch at a square in Wilmersdorf, an upmarket, central district in the west of Berlin, at around 9.30am, Berlin police said on Twitter.

The would-be robbers then set fire to their vehicle before fleeing.

A security guard who was injured while confronting the men was later taken to hospital, police said.

It remains unclear whether the thieves managed to steal anything.

The same bank was the scene of a similar incident in mid-June, in which thieves reportedly made off with around half a million euros (around $600 million) after holding up a money transporter.

Tuesday’s robbery attempt also came just five days after a similar bid at a bank branch in Neukoelln, another central district of Berlin.

On Friday, 12 people were injured as thieves stormed a bank branch and sprayed pepper spray into the air, before fleeing empty-handed.

Police said they were investigating possible links between the three incidents.