- Friday, June 5, 2026, between 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM: oil in two bends of the B308 at Rohrach near Scheidegg
- Unknown persons threw plastic bags full of oil onto the road, nobody was injured
- Investigation for dangerous interference with road traffic, police are asking for information
On a Friday evening in June, someone put oil on a stretch of winding road in the western Allgäu that is popular with motorcyclists. The incident happened on the B308 near Scheidegg in the district of Lindau. Police do not believe it was an accident. Nobody was injured. Even so, it reminds many people in the region of a series of oil attacks that ended with the death of a motorcyclist in the Unterallgäu in April 2011 and was never solved.
What happened on the B308 near Scheidegg?
On Friday, June 5, 2026, unknown persons threw plastic bags containing oil onto the road in two bends of the B308 near Scheidegg. The bags split open and the oil ran across a large part of the carriageway.
The section in the Rohrach area is full of bends, and police describe it as a pass road. The Lindenberg police station learned of the oil patches at around 6:30 PM. According to the investigation so far, the bags were thrown shortly before that, between 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM. Police closed the road and the fire brigade cleaned the surface. According to the police, nobody was hurt.
Who is investigating and which witnesses are being sought?
Police are investigating the case as dangerous interference with road traffic and believe it was deliberate. The criminal investigation department in Lindau, which belongs to the Swabia South/West police headquarters in Kempten, has since taken over.
Investigators are particularly interested in a motorcyclist who apparently noticed the oil as one of the first. He roughly covered the patches with leaves and then rode on. His identity is not yet known. Police also want to hear from anyone who saw suspicious people or vehicles on the B308 in the Rohrach area on June 5 between 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM. Information can be given to the Lindau criminal police on +49 8382 910-0 and to the Lindenberg police station on +49 8381 92010.
Police are holding back on details. It is not known what kind of bags and oil were used, whether there are witnesses or whether a search for DNA traces is under way.
What happened in the oil attacks of 2011?
On Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, a 37-year-old motorcyclist died in the Unterallgäu. His motorcycle slid away on oil in a bend and he collided with an oncoming car.
The crash happened on state road 2013 between Markt Rettenbach and Ottobeuren. The man was a father of two. Investigators concluded that the oil had been put on the road on purpose. It later emerged that there had been similar attacks in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg since 2007. In most cases, glass bottles full of used oil had broken on the road. The police headquarters in Kempten set up a dedicated investigation team. On several shards, officers found DNA from the same person. Even so, they never found the culprit, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
Is the Scheidegg case linked to the old series?
Whether there is a link remains open. Police are examining possible parallels but have not attributed the new case to the earlier series.
Some things are similar. Once again police believe it was deliberate, once again bends were targeted, and Scheidegg is less than 100 kilometres from the sites of the earlier attacks. One important point is different, however: in the past the oil was thrown in glass bottles, this time in plastic bags. What is known so far is not enough to draw a conclusion.
Why is oil in bends so dangerous for motorcyclists?
A motorcycle only touches the road with two narrow contact patches. In a bend, the tyres need a large share of their grip to keep the leaned-over bike on its line. If a tyre then hits oil, it loses traction almost instantly. The rider has hardly any time to react.
An oil spill is also dangerous for cyclists and car drivers. Anyone who spots oil on the road should warn others and call the police or fire brigade straight away. That is what happened on June 5: because the oil patches were reported quickly, the road could be closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What happened on the B308 near Scheidegg?
On June 5, 2026, unknown persons threw plastic bags containing oil onto the road in two bends of the B308 in the Rohrach area near Scheidegg. The bags split on impact and the oil spread out. Nobody was injured.
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When were the oil traps in the Allgäu discovered?
The Lindenberg police station was informed about the oil patches on Friday, June 5, 2026, at around 6:30 PM. According to the investigation so far, the bags were thrown between 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM.
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Is there a connection to the fatal oil trail case of 2011?
That remains open. Police are examining parallels but have not attributed the case to the old series. One difference is the method: glass bottles were thrown in the past, plastic bags in Scheidegg.
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How dangerous are oil spills for motorcyclists?
In a bend, oil can be life-threatening for motorcyclists. When leaned over, the tyres need a lot of grip, and on oil they lose it almost at once. In April 2011 a motorcyclist in the Unterallgäu died in this way.
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Who can witnesses contact?
Information can be given to the Lindau criminal police on +49 8382 910-0 and the Lindenberg police station on +49 8381 92010. Among others, police are looking for a motorcyclist who covered the oil with leaves and then rode on.
