Büsi in a suburban train and fermenting stinky fruit These were the strangest police and fire department operations in 2025

A missing sandstone column, a bull on the loose or a chase involving three 13-year-olds: There were also some unusual to amusing police and fire department operations this year.

Keystone-SDA

25.12.2025, 10:55

25.12.2025, 11:07

SDA

Sandstone pillar "disappeared": The theft of a sandstone pillar was reported in Einsiedeln SZ. The police later discovered that the pillar had been dismantled during restoration work.

Police to carry table: In September, a woman asked the Schwyz police for help carrying a heavy table into her apartment. She asked for four police officers. The request was refused.

Air mattress explodes in Aarau: In September, a 55-year-old man lay down on his large air mattress in his apartment in Aarau after work. But the mattress had too little air - and he switched on the electric pump. Suddenly the air mattress exploded. The impact was enormous: the apartment was devastated, the windows were broken and a crack appeared in the wall. No one was injured.

Dangerous cell phone case: Zurich city police were called to a kiosk in District 4 one February night. It had been reported that a woman was carrying a firearm in her waistband. "The emergency services were on the alert", a spokeswoman for the city police told the Keystone-SDA news agency. In fact, however, it was only a cell phone case in the shape of a pistol.

Birthday cake as accident victim: In September, the Schaffhausen police reported a collision between two cars in the city of Schaffhausen. No one was injured - but there was a special kind of property damage: a birthday cake in the footwell on the passenger side was thrown forward on impact and made a real mess.

Fermenting stinky fruit: Zurich city police and paramedics were called out to a grocery store after the smell of gas was reported. On site, it quickly became clear that no one's health was at risk. A leak in the gas pipe could also be ruled out as the cause, as a spokeswoman for the city police explained at the request of Keystone-SDA. Instead, a durian fruit, also known as stinky fruit, which had started to ferment in a conatiner in front of the store, was causing the stench.

Python on the landing: In Villeneuve VD, a couple discovered a python snake on a landing near their house. At first, the couple thought the almost neon-yellow animal was a toy - until it moved. The fire department caught the escaped king python.

600-kilogram bull on the loose: A 600-kilogram bull caused panic in Montalchez NE. It had destroyed its fence and run away. Alertswiss warned hikers, police and even an army helicopter searched for the out-of-control animal. The next day, farmers found the bull surrounded by cows in a pasture in the same village.

Fisherman catches duck: In Steinen SZ, a duck swallowed an angler's bait fish and was then hooked. A gamekeeper had to be called out to free the animal.

Cat takes train: A tomcat boarded a train in Altstätten SG and traveled to Rorschach SG. Train passengers informed the police, who took custody of the animal. While the officers at the police station searched for its owner, the cat took a nap on the desk.

Pussycat on a commuter train: On a Saturday evening in October, the Schaffhausen police were alerted to a cat traveling on a commuter train to the city of Schaffhausen. Thanks to a chip, the four-legged runaway was quickly identified on arrival at Schaffhausen station and driven back home in the police car. Meanwhile, the cat took a nap in the arms of a police officer.

Pet moves in with police: Word seems to have gotten around among the four-legged friends that the Schaffhausen police have a soft spot for cats. In May, one of them moved into the storage room of the police station in the town of Schaffhausen without further ado. The police officers could hear the cat, but only found it after several days. The animal was in good health, but still had to move to an animal shelter.

Chase with three 13-year-olds: Three 13-year-old teenagers stole a car in La Chaux-de-Fonds NE, broke through a police cordon and gave chase through the town despite two blown tires. They were only stopped when they deliberately drove into a stationary police vehicle. No one was injured.

Bus rams into eleven parked vehicles: In La Tour-de-Peilz VD, a bus left its route and crashed into eleven parked vehicles, including cars, a scooter and an e-bike. No one was injured. The police assumed that the driver had a health problem.

Killed by a door: Last March, a 16-year-old teenager died in Vevey VD under unusual circumstances. The police found him lifeless at night, his body trapped at neck level between the panels of a sliding door of a sandwich shop. The victim had tried to break into the restaurant.

Potatoes lost - driver doesn't notice: A tractor lost several tons of potatoes on the road in Weinfelden TG after the tailgate of a trailer opened. The driver did not notice anything. He only reported the incident to the police an hour later.

Escape via the A1 highway: A burglar risked his life one night in February while fleeing from the police: He climbed over a game fence in Wettingen AG and ran across the A1 highway. The police then "lost visual contact".

Accident right in front of the police headquarters: An 83-year-old female driver caused an accident right in front of the Aargau cantonal police headquarters in Aarau AG when she accelerated too much in a traffic circle and crashed into the back of a delivery van. The police were quickly on the scene.

1500-degree fire at Flumroc: In Flums SG, an extremely hot mass ate its way through several floors of an industrial building in October. A siren alarm was triggered due to the unusual situation. The damage ran into the millions.

Helicopter to the scene: In the remote Murgtal SG, an alpine building burned down completely in June. Because the house was so remote, all the emergency services had to be flown in by helicopter. The damage amounted to several hundred thousand francs.

Loot in his underwear: during a check in Saint-Gingolph VS, customs found burglary tools in the car of a 21-year-old Frenchman. He had hidden a stolen luxury watch in his underwear.

Chinese tabatières at customs: An Italian in Vallorbe VD wanted to bring valuable Chinese tabatières, ornately decorated snuff boxes, to Italy without paying duty. The value was several tens of thousands of francs.

Bern police officer looking at his cell phone while driving: A Bern police officer caused a rear-end collision in February 2024 because he was typing and reading on his cell phone for almost a minute while driving. A camera in the police car recorded the incident. In May 2025, he failed in his attempt to have the video banned as evidence in the high court.

Geneva police dispose of illegal e-scooters: For years, the Geneva police used electric scooters that could travel faster than legally permitted. Following a crash involving a police officer in the summer of 2023, internal investigations revealed the lack of conformity. Most of the 15 vehicles were destroyed and the police no longer have any e-scooters.

Bern police without tear gas: In July 2025, the Bern cantonal police suddenly found themselves without tear gas. They had to destroy their entire stock of irritant projectiles after a journalist pointed out after a demonstration that the expiry date had long since passed.