As expected, New Year’s Eve from 2024 to 2025 resulted in many patrols by the St.Gallen cantonal police. In addition to fireworks, there were a few fires, a few disturbances of the peace, animals that had to be rehomed, and a few break-ins were reported. There were no major incidents in road traffic. Interpersonal interventions were no more necessary than on other nights.
Fireworks operations
Already in the early evening hours and until after midnight, over 20 reports reached the St.Gallen cantonal emergency call center that fireworks were being lit improperly and in some cases dangerously. Around half of the cases involved reports that mostly teenagers or young adults were shooting fireworks specifically at people or properties. In several cases, teenagers and young adults could be found with fireworks. In three cases in Gossau, Goldach and Wattwil, the teenagers and young adults found had their fireworks confiscated to prevent further mischief.
During official business in Gossau, a police officer was even shot at with a firecracker by unknown people. Luckily no one was injured.
A group in Bichwil had less luck shortly after 12:20 a.m. Two 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old teenager were hit by an overturned battery of fireworks set off by a 36-year-old man. The three people were all slightly injured. The two injured men were taken to hospital by emergency services.
Shortly before 12:10 a.m., a report from Wattwil was received by the St.Gallen cantonal emergency call center. During the New Year’s Eve party in the market hall, unknown people detonated fireworks in the crowd in the hall. A total of five male and three female people between the ages of 18 and 22 suffered undetermined injuries and had to be transported by a large number of emergency services to various hospitals, some of which were located nationwide. The St.Gallen cantonal police are looking for witnesses in this connection. Anyone who can provide information about the perpetrator or who has photos and video recordings of the time of the crime is asked to contact the Schmerikon police station on 058 229 52 00.
Shortly before 12:40 a.m., a report from Rorschacherberg was received by the St.Gallen cantonal emergency call center. According to current knowledge, a 36-year-old man had made fireworks himself or handled fireworks ingredients. An explosion occurred in which the man’s left forearm was blown off and he suffered further injuries to his face and the rest of his body. The man had to be taken to hospital by emergency services with serious injuries.
In addition, some mailboxes were reported blown up with fireworks that night. During identity checks, various people, mostly young people, were warned to use fireworks responsibly. Fortunately, a group of exemplary young people could also be found in Wangs. Not only did they choose a suitable location for the fire, but they also carefully collected the remains of the fireworks after the fire and ensured that everything would be disposed of professionally.
Disturbances of peace
The number of reported disturbances was very low given the many New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the canton. There were just four disturbances. In one case, the patrol was no longer able to detect any noise, and in three cases, revelers were warned to remain quiet.
Interpersonal interventions
The number of interventions due to disputes was in line with all other days of the year. In four disputes there were verbal arguments between the people involved and no criminal conduct occurred.
In a somewhat special case, a patrol was called out to a restaurant in Rapperswil-Jona. A couple had a New Year’s Eve dinner there and the man left the restaurant after an argument. The drunk woman who was left behind didn’t have enough cash and had an uncovered bank card. With the intervention of the St.Gallen cantonal police, parts of the bill, which amounted to several hundred francs, were paid in cash and the rest is being claimed through civil proceedings.
Burnt
In three communities in the canton of St.Gallen, fire departments had to be called out because of burning underground containers. It is suspected that the fires were caused by improperly disposed of fireworks residues or by intentionally setting off fireworks. There was material damage amounting to several thousand francs each.
In Buchs, two burning plastic containers were reported at around 9:30 p.m., which made it necessary for the fire department to be called out. Improperly disposed of fireworks may have set them on fire.
There were also two fires in Wildhaus and Haag. In Wildhaus there was a fire in a chimney in a single-family home and in Haag a heater produced heavy smoke. The local fire brigade brought the situation under control.
Incidents involving animals
Half a dozen operations involved cases involving animals in which cats and dogs that were found or lost could be rehomed. In most cases, this task was taken on by the municipality’s animal protection officers.
Road traffic events
There were few deployments in road traffic. Shortly before 4:10 a.m., a collision between two cars occurred on the A13 motorway between Sennwald and Oberriet while one car was changing lanes. Nobody was injured.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m., a patrol from the St.Gallen canton police found two e-scooters driving abnormally in Gossau. The two men who were then stopped, aged 19 and 20, were both classified as unfit to drive. They both had to give a blood and urine sample.
Suspicious findings/mischief
Shortly before 10:40 p.m. a report was received from Wil that a stranger was trying to get into an apartment in an apartment building. When the patrol arrived, the person had probably already noticed the mistake and could no longer be found.
Shortly before 2:50 a.m., damage to a window by young people in Rebstein was reported. Shortly before 3 a.m., a group of young people were reported in Waldkirch who tore out several boundary posts along a road and damaged two of them. The young people are reported and they or their parents have to pay for several hundred francs in property damage.
At 4:40 a.m., a person was reported in Bronschhofen operating the door catches on parked cars. The person described could not be found during a search.
Further assistance
Shortly before 1:20 a.m., an emergency call from an SOS bracelet was reported via the Swiss Red Cross. At the 83-year-old woman’s place of residence in Rapperswil-Jona, it was discovered that she had unintentionally made an emergency call while she was sleeping. The woman was visibly happy that the St.Gallen cantonal police were the first to wish her a happy new year.
Shortly before 3:30 a.m., police and emergency services had to go to an apartment in Au. A 22-year-old woman complained of feeling unwell after consuming various medications and alcohol as well as suspected narcotics. When the emergency services arrived, she did not open the door, which is why a patrol from the St.Gallen cantonal police was called in to assist. The woman was ultimately found in the unlocked apartment in an unclear state of health and was taken to a hospital.
Burglaries
There were also break-ins in the canton of St.Gallen on New Year’s Eve.
A break-in had already been reported in the afternoon at a single-family home in Nesslau, into which an unknown perpetrator had broken in through a window. She stole jewelry and cash worth several thousand francs and caused property damage of around 1,500 francs.
At 9:45 p.m. a sneak-in theft was reported in a single-family home in Buchs. The perpetrators were allegedly able to steal jewelry of an as yet unknown value.
Two burglaries were reported in Zuzwil at 1:15 a.m. and 1:48 a.m. Unknown perpetrators gained entry into the houses through windows and stole cash worth a total of several hundred francs. The material damage caused amounts to over 10,000 francs.
In St.Gallen, an unknown perpetrator got into a car and caused property damage. It is still unclear whether anything was stolen.
