Mystery baffles authorities Who is sticking QR codes on graves in Munich?
Hundreds of QR codes in Munich cemeteries caused a lot of guesswork - now it's clear: a gardening contractor wanted to optimize his work processes. But the case could have criminal consequences.
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- A gardening contractor from Gauting affixed QR codes to over 1,000 gravestones in Munich without permission in order to optimize his business processes.
- The stickers left non-removable adhesive stains, meaning that many gravestones had to be painstakingly polished.
- The damage amounts to around 500,000 euros.
- The entrepreneur initially denied his involvement, but confessed according to media reports.
What initially seemed like a bizarre criminal case has now turned out to be a well-intentioned but questionable digitalization offensive: a horticultural contractor from Gauting is responsible for the mysterious QR codes in Munich cemeteries. After intensive investigations, the man finally reported himself to the police. This was reported by the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
The police were still in the dark on Monday: small QR code stickers had suddenly appeared on at least 1000 gravestones in Munich's Waldfriedhof, Sendling and Solln cemeteries. When scanned, they showed the name of the deceased, the grave inscription and the exact location of the grave.
The person responsible: Alfred Zanker, senior manager of a gardening company that takes care of the graves. He explained to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" that the stickers were used for internal organization - for example for scheduling and invoicing. "We are a large company, we look after more than 1000 graves. Everything has to be organized," says Zanker.
But one crucial detail seems unclear: had the grave owners even agreed to this? Zanker was unable to answer this question. The police are investigating.
Suddenly a confession after all - only after media pressure
Explosive: According to the police, the company had already been investigated - but had initially denied any involvement. Only when the media reported on the case did the "media pressure become too great", explained a police spokesperson.
The stickers, measuring around 50 x 35 millimetres, not only caused confusion, but also caused considerable damage. The adhesive on the thermal labels left stains that could not be easily removed. The repair is time-consuming.
The gravestone has to be dismantled and removed. The stain is sanded off. The stone is re-installed.
Criminal consequences? Still open
The police estimate the total damage at a mid-six-figure sum - around 500,000 euros. It is still unclear who will have to pay the costs. The injured parties would probably have to assert their claims under civil law.
Whether the entrepreneur will be prosecuted depends on whether the grave owners have consented to the use of the QR code. If this is not the case, the accusation of damage to property could be pursued further.
