German police investigate 21 deaths related to poisoned sandwiches



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A 56-year-old man was charged with attempted murder at a company in the northwestern town of Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, police said in the nearby town of Bielefeld, where the man lives . The police did not name the suspect.

He was seen on a security camera opening a colleague's lunch box and putting a substance on the sandwich inside, police said in a statement. was found in the suspect's bag after his arrest, police said.

The sandwich owner had triggered the alarm earlier after discovering an unknown substance spread on his meal. He informed the management of his company, which in turn informed the police.

Tests carried out by the Regional Office of North Rhine-Westphalia revealed that the substance contained in the bread was toxic lead acetate and that there was enough of it to cause serious damage to the organs.

The accused was introduced to a judge on May 17, who issued a warrant for attempted murder.

Firefighters found mercury, lead and cadmium in the suspect's apartment in Bielefeld. Police said that the man "has long tried to produce toxic substances, including heavy metal compounds", on the basis of substances found in his home.

Authorities expanded the investigation after the discovery of two more cases of illness in the company in recent years. The authorities are also reviewing all company-related deaths since 2000 – and in particular, 21 former employees who died before retirement – to see if heavy metal poisoning has played a role.

"There was a surprisingly high number of heart attacks and cancers among the death cases in the company," says the police release

which interviews parents and former doctors and review the medical records. It is possible that the bodies must be exhumed

The police say that they know no possible motive.

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