Cops Nab Suspect in 700 Sniper Highway Attacks

Trucker fired at other vehicles on autobahn
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 25, 2013 3:01 AM CDT
Germans Bust Sniper Behind 700 Highway Attacks
Most of the attacks took place in western and southern Germany.   (Shutterstock)

Police in Germany say a man in custody has confessed to a staggering 700 shootings of passing vehicles on the country's highways over the last five years. The suspect, a 57-year-old truck driver, was arrested after a massive police operation involving decoy trucks and license plate detection devices across the country, the Independent reports. Police seized a cache of firearms during the weekend operation, the Telegraph adds.

Police say the man fired shots from the cab of his truck at vehicles coming in the other direction, causing multiple traffic accidents and almost killing one woman who was shot in the throat. His favorite targets appear to have been new cars being transported from factories. The reward for information leading to his arrest was quadrupled to $130,000 last year after he switched from .22 ammunition to 9mm. (More sniper stories.)

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