Cold-hearted thieves steal “lovers’ padlocks” off Cologne’s Hohenzollern Bridge

Police in Germany have arrested two thieves who were in the process of cutting “lovers’ padlocks” off Cologne’s Hohenzollern Bridge, a popular tourist attraction that spans the Rhine River. The padlocks, which were left by amorous couples who attach the locks to the bridge and then toss the key into the river below to symbolize eternal love, were presumably being stolen for their scrap value.

“I spotted two men on the other side of the bridge tampering with the lovers’ padlocks, so I called for back-up straight away,” a police officer said. The men tried to flee but were apprehended on the bridge. In a wheeled suitcase, police discovered 50 padlocks and a lock cutter. According to police, the men will appear in court on charges of property damage.

Click here to view a gallery of the lovers’ padlocks taken last May in Germany.