GETTY German police were told not to prosecute migrants before the New Year's attacks in Cologne

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They were told to overlook migrant crime because there was too little chance of success as so many of the arrivals in Germany do not have papers, and often if they do, they are false. Kiel decided the costs of pursuing asylum seekers for low-level offences were too high, the chances of success in court too low. Documents published today show an official guideline issued by the police directorate in Kiel in October 2015 let asylum seekers effectively live outside the laws of the land when it comes to these minor offences.

GETTY City of Kiel

Kiel's police authority stated its guidelines should become a "statewide applicable rule" whereby "simple/low-threshold offences (shoplifting/vandalism)" by migrants should not be followed up because of the low chance of identifying suspects and gaining a successful prosecution. But "higher order" offences are to be treated the same, "especially serious cases of theft and personal injury," regardless of whether the perpetrator is a citizen or a refugee. The guidelines were sent as a circular to all police stations in the north German city of Kiel urging restraint if the ID of a migrant suspect could not be ascertained within 12 hours of a crime being reported.

GETTY Police are accused of 'surrendering' in the face of refugee crime

Under pressure after the document surfaced, Kiel's police authority said a new circular dated December 23 last year made the earlier one "outdated" - but media reports that it contains no references to petty crimes. The news is cannon fodder for the hate machine of Germany's far right which accuses the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel of letting in "rapists and thieves" among the million-plus asylum seekers who have come into the country over the course of a year. One Kiel businesswoman said the police edict in her city was a "carte blanche for immigrants to steal".

GETTY German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Police officers should not engage in prevent theft? Offenders in our city are simply getting a free pass Karolina Hofmann, Kochfest CEO