Four teenagers attack a man in Heidelberg – police are looking for witnesses!

Four teenagers attack a man in Heidelberg – police are looking for witnesses!

On Friday, June 16, 2025, a brutal incident occurred in Heidelberg's Rohrbach-Süd industrial area. Four unknown teenagers attacked a 25-year-old man and slightly injured him. According to RNZ, the attack occurred around 8 p.m. on Hertzstrasse, very close to the B3 underpass. The youths surrounded the passerby for no apparent reason and kicked him, which resulted in his injury.

The perpetrators are described as follows: The first perpetrator is around 16 years old, has blonde hair and light skin. He was traveling on an e-scooter and was wearing Adidas sandals with white socks, a blue shirt, green checkered shorts and a blue backpack. The second perpetrator had tanned skin and dark hair, was also around 16 years old and rode a bicycle. His clothing consisted of a gray shirt and cream-colored long pants. The third perpetrator could only be identified as an e-scooter with light skin, while the fourth perpetrator had black hair and light skin, he was wearing a white shirt, gray pants, white shoes with socks and a black backpack. The police are investigating dangerous bodily harm and are looking for witnesses who can provide information about the perpetrators. Reports can be made to the Heidelberg-Süd police station on 06221/34180.

Increasing violence among young people

Such incidents cast a shadow on coexistence in Heidelberg and are part of a worrying development. According to Statista, juvenile crime in Germany reached a peak in 2024 with around 13,800 cases - more than twice as many cases as in 2016. What is particularly serious is that the increase also affects young people between the ages of 14 and 17 and adolescents between the ages of 18 and 20. The Federal Criminal Police Office cites psychological stress caused by the Corona measures and the special risk factors for young people seeking protection as possible reasons.

The problem is compounded by the fact that the majority of young suspects are male; In 2024, around three quarters of the suspects were boys. These numbers bring the discussion about liability and the necessary preventive measures back into play. There is increasing talk about tougher sanctions in juvenile criminal law and the need for effective child and youth welfare to prevent future criminal careers.

More incidents

In addition to the attack in Rohrbach-Süd, there was another incident on Saturday evening, shortly after 6 p.m., at the Heidelberg-Pfaffengrund / Wieblingen S-Bahn station. There, two young people and two unknown men provoked the surrounding passers-by. One of the 19-year-old victims and his friend fled in different directions, with the victim losing his black Adidas vest. The escape ended in an adjacent allotment, where the victim was caught by his attackers, beaten and attacked with pepper spray. Here too, information is requested to the police, also by telephone on 06221/3418-0.

The events of the last few days make it clear: it is up to all of us to be vigilant and work together to ensure that such acts of violence do not become the norm in our beautiful Heidelberg. Be careful and don't be afraid to contact the police if you notice anything unusual.

For more information about the incidents, please visit the articles RNZ and des Mannheim morning. For the broader discussion about juvenile crime in Germany, you can also read the analysis Statista.