Amid the crowds in fancy-dress celebrating carnival in Germany, one man dressed as a monk in a cassock and cowl held up a bank, police said Friday, according to dpa. A swathe of cities in the west of Germany are partying non-stop or holding parades for six days until next Tuesday, Mardi Gras. Police in Ravensburg in the south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said the robber, whose age was estimated at 30 to 40, pointed a pistol at a cashier Thursday afternoon and obtained thousands of euros. His hood and a blue cloth completely covering his face not only made him look like a death monk, but also defeated closed-circuit security cameras. If they catch him, police can only identify him from his accent and his sports shoes. Meteorologists said meanwhile that the carnival crowds would be warmed up by mild weather in Germany up to Mardi Gras with a risk of rain rather than snow. After temperatures just above freezing on Thursday, the days early next week would feature between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius.
