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2 held hostage in Berlin bank, major police operation underway
A suspected bank robber is holding two people hostage inside a bank branch in Berlin, Germany. Local police say they have launched a “major operation” at the Postbank branch in the Forum Koepenick shopping center.
Officers have cordoned off an area around the shopping center and issued appeals to the public to avoid the scene. Berlin Police tweeted that more than 200 officers are at the scene, including special forces "due to the threat" to the bank's employees.
The alarm was raised around 2pm local time, with police saying a suspected raider had barricaded themselves in the Postbank at Koepenick along with two other people.
Photos taken nearby and shared online show crowds gathered near the cordoned-off site.
No injuries have been reported.
Local media report a police helicopter overhead, while transport in the area has been disrupted.
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