Unsolved Mystery in Bulgaria

vacation in bulgeria goes wrong. lars mittank goes missing - conspiracy theory

**Episode Transcription

Normally vacations are relaxing and a way to get away from it all; you go back home and start wishing for your next vacation. In today’s episode, this vacation, took a very different turn. Today I’m talking about the unsolved, mysterious case of Lars Mittank right now on Love and Murder.

Welcome everyone! Welcome to a new episode of Love and Murder – the weekly true crime podcast discussing relationships gone terribly wrong. Where our motto is, you’re either someone’s last love or first murder

I am your host Ky and this show discusses true crime cases told in the form of a story with mystery and suspense.

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In today’s episode, we’re taking a tiny detor from our normal genre and I’m talking about a case of disappearance and mystery.

But first, I wanted to remind you to head on over to our exclusive group at patreon.com/loveandmurder. If you don’t want an intro or commercials, this is the best place for you to be! You also get bonuses. Actually, our last bonus episode was of Char and I reacting to a video of a police stop where the cops accidentally caught someone they were looking for for decades. Actually, now’s the best time to join our Patreon as the price will be going up in 1 week. I’ll tell you more at the end of this episode.

In the meantime though, grab your butts, grab your apple juice, and let’s get into some Love and Murder.…

Lars Mittank, born on February 9, 1986, in Berlin, Germany, was a young man who spent his entire life in Itzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein which is about 14.9 miles (24 km) north of Hamburg. Lars had a passion for soccer (or football to the rest of the world), with the team called Sportverein Werder Bremen holding a special place in his heart. Known for his sense of humor, Lars was the kind of person who would go out of his way to make others laugh and was the person who always kept the peace among his friends. So basically he was the glue that held them together.

During the day, Lars worked at the Wilhelmshaven Power Station, a power plant in a small town on the coast nestled in the scenic region of Lower Saxony in northwest Germany. With a slim and athletic build, he was 5’9” (180 cm) tall, he sported dark blond hair with dyed blond tips – 90’s style, complemented by his expressive brown eyes. Among his distinguishing features, Lars had a scar on his left forearm. I know I don’t normally go into this much detail about appearance, but continue listening; you’ll understand why I am.

Aside from his work, Lars had a fulfilling personal life. He had a circle of close friends who appreciated his jovial nature, and a loving girlfriend who shared in his journey. Family was also an essential part of Lars’ life, and he regularly visited his parents, especially after his father’s stroke. Eager to lend a helping hand, Lars would assist at his parents’ home after finishing his work at the power plant. Described as a down-to-earth guy, Lars was content with the simple joys life had to offer.

However, Lars Mittank’s story took an unexpected turn, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a lingering sense of mystery.

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In July 2014, Lars went on his first journey outside of Germany, on holiday with a group of his friends. They flew to the Bulgarian seaside resort of Golden Sands. I researched it; it look GORGEOUS. You should look it up and possibly go and visit. Anyway, the vacation seemed idyllic, with the group enjoying the sun, beach, pool, and engaging in various activities such as soccer and clubbing. Lars, described as relaxed and in a good mood during the vacation, appeared to be having a great time, building cherished memories with his friends. They stayed at the HVD Viva Hotel, a popular destination for young European tourists. When I looked this hotel up, it has an 8.2 out of 10 stars in reviews. Seems like an amazing place to stay.

However, the carefree atmosphere took a dramatic turn on July 6 – just one day before they were supposed to go back home. Fans of Werder Bremen, Lars’ favorite sports club, clashed with a group of Bayern Munich fans at a McDonald’s. In the midst of the brawl, Lars got separated from his friends, and the altercation left him injured. He suffered a blow to the head, resulting in a perforated eardrum, a possible concussion, and an injured jaw.

Despite the injuries, Lars initially rejoined his friends at the resort the following morning. He explained that he had been attacked by four men hired by the group he had disagreed with the previous night at the bar. Concerned about his well-being, his friends offered to delay their return home, but Lars insisted they continue their journey as planned. He opted to stay in Bulgaria to receive medical treatment for his injuries and was prescribed an antibiotic called Cefuroxime 500.

Here is where it gets weird. As his friends left, they reportedly said he was relaxed and in a good mood. Lars checked into a hotel near the airport, intending to fly back to Germany at a later date. However, it was during this time that Lars began exhibiting strange and erratic behavior, causing confusion and concern among hotel staff and those who encountered him.

According to reports, a health expert advised Lars against boarding the plane due to the potential harm the air pressure changes could inflict on his injured ear.

The details of Lars’ actions during his time at the hotel remain unclear, but witnesses reported witnessing him acting paranoid, expressing fears of being followed or watched. His behavior grew increasingly erratic, and he even went as far as removing the hotel’s CCTV system and discarding his personal belongings, including his passport. Concerned hotel staff eventually contacted Lars’ mother, informing her about her son’s alarming state.

Surveillance cameras at the hotel captured Lars Mittank engaging in increasingly erratic and paranoid behavior. The footage revealed him hiding inside the elevator, pacing the hallways anxiously, and leaving the building at midnight, only to return hours later. In a phone call to his mother at 11:30pm, Lars whispered that people were attempting to rob or kill him, expressing genuine fear and urgency. He instructed his mother to cancel his credit and debit cards, believing that they were at risk. Sandra Mittank, his mother, recalled the intensity of the call, recounting how she could hear her son’s heart pounding with fear and anxiety. The distressing situation heightened her concern for Lars’ safety.

After Lars hung up with his mom, he reached out to her again through text, asking about his medication.

On July 8, 2014, in the early hours of the morning, Lars hailed a taxi that took him to Varna Airport. The young woman who shared the taxi with him noticed his dilated eyes and peculiar behavior, further indicating his troubled state of mind. Upon arriving at the airport, Lars called his mother once again, expressing relief at being in the terminal. In an unexpected turn, he requested that she send him 500 Euros through Western Union while he was at the airport, raising further questions about his intentions and mindset.

Mittank proceeded to text his mother, reassuring her that he had safely reached the terminal. However, when a doctor at the airport examined him prior to his scheduled flight, Lars exhibited signs of nervousness, erratic behavior, and a general mistrust of the prescribed medication. The physician advised Lars that he was fit to fly, but his unease was clearly visible to everyone.

During his consultation with the airport doctor, a pivotal moment occurred. A construction worker entered the room, a very uneventful situaltion that triggered an overwhelming reaction from Lars. Overcome with fear and anxiety, he yelled, “I don’t want to die here. I have to get out of here.” In a state of panic, Lars jumped up from his chair and ran out of the room; leaving behind his wallet, cellphone, and luggage. He ran out of the doctor’s office, exiting the terminal and running across the forecourt. A security camera captured his image as he climbed over a fence, marking the final confirmed sighting of Lars Mittank.

Wow! WTF?! What do you think happened to him? To me, it sounds like a head injury that he didn’t get properly treated for. I mean, he was completely fine before, then as soon as he got a head injury, he started acting like this.

Five years later, in 2019, a truck driver provided a potential lead in the Lars Mittank case. He had picked up an unknown hitchhiker in Dresden and drove him to Schildow in Brandenburg’s Oberhavel county, just north of Berlin. After becoming aware of the Lars Mittank case, the truck driver noticed that the man he had transported resembled an older version of the missing person depicted in the picture.

Throughout the years, Lars’ mother, received messages and photographs from various sources worldwide, including one featuring a man resembling Lars in South America. However, it turned out that the man in the photograph was Anton Pilipa, a Canadian humanitarian worker who had gone missing five years prior. Wow, ANOTHER missing person!

Sandra has endured over seven years of anguish and uncertainty since her son’s disappearance. In her relentless pursuit to find Lars, she enlisted the help of a private detective to search for him in Bulgaria, the location where he was last seen. Sandra has made multiple appearances on German and Bulgarian television, using social media platforms like Facebook to spread awareness and reach a wider audience. Despite her hopefulness, she acknowledges the possibility that Lars may not be in good health, envisioning him as thin with long hair and a beard.

I don’t think she cares what he looks like; as long as he’s alive.

Alot of conspiracy theories have emerged in an attempt to explain what happened to Lars during his last moments. One popular theory suggests that Lars intentionally sought an opportunity to escape his previous life and start anew. Supporters of this theory point to his good relationships with loved ones, as evidenced by his friends’ willingness to adjust their flight plans to accompany him and his regular communication with his mother during the trip. They also note that Lars left behind his passport, phone, and wallet when he fled, suggesting a deliberate attempt to sever ties with his previous identity. I don’t think I agree with this as there was no listed reason as to why he would want to do this. He had a good relationship with family and friends, he had no debt, he had a good job… like literally no documented reason that I could see, for this to be a viable theory.

Another possibility is that Lars met with foul play. During his stay in Bulgaria, he expressed concerns to his mother about being followed, leading many online detectives – basically other true crime enthusiasts, to suspect that the individuals he had encountered at the bar continued to pursue him. This theory suggests that Lars fled out of fear for his life, potentially explaining why his body has never been found. Given Bulgaria’s high rates of human trafficking, some believe that Lars may have become a victim of this crime, forced into various forms of exploitation and potentially even having his organs removed against his will.

A third hypothesis considers the role of mental health in Lars’ disappearance; my theory and the one that makes the most sense to me. It is suggested that Lars may have been suffering from a mental disorder, such as paranoid schizophrenia, which could explain his belief that he was being followed and his fixation on the prescribed medication. Individuals with conditions like paranoid schizophrenia often exhibit distrust towards others and experience delusions of persecution. While there was no history of mental illness in Lars’ family, it is possible for such conditions to emerge spontaneously; like from a head trauma suffered 1 day prior to him supposing to leave and not being properly treated.

Some have also speculated about the potential side effects of the antibiotics Lars was prescribed for his ruptured eardrum. Although uncommon, it is not impossible for certain medications to induce psychotic episodes or contribute to altered behavior. However, the listed side effects of the prescribed antibiotic do not directly align with Lars’ actions and behavior.

Nausea

Diaper rash

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Dizziness

Swelling of the face

Kidney problems

Yeast infection

Allergic reaction

Additionally, speculation has arisen regarding Lars’ friends and their potential involvement in drug-related activities. Some theories suggest that Lars’ friends, not Lars himself, may have been involved in drug smuggling. This theory states that Lars remained behind in Bulgaria as a form of insurance while his friends returned, believing they had been caught. If this were the case, Lars’ sudden departure from the airport without his belongings could be attributed to his fear of arrest and the belief that his friends had been apprehended.

As the mystery surrounding Lars Mittank persists, individuals from around the world continue to share missing-person flyers and theories in various languages, united in their shared goal of bringing Lars back to his home, family, and friends. Their unwavering determination reflects the enduring hope that one day Lars Mittank will return, putting an end to seven long years of uncertainty and providing closure to those who eagerly await his safe return.

Despite extensive investigations by Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, to this day, no one has found neither him or concrete evidence of what happened to him, leaving behind an huge void in the lives of his loved ones. The airport security video capturing his last known sighting has circulated on the internet, gaining millions of views and making Lars a widely recognized figure. He was actually coined, “the most famous missing person on YouTube.” Various individuals, whether driven by genuine sightings or unfounded speculation, continue to claim they have seen Lars in different parts of the world. There’s actually a Facebook group “Find Lars Mittank” with 41,000 followers and regular posts, constantly pursuing leads and sharing information in the hope of uncovering the truth about Lars’ whereabouts.

In Germany, more than 10,000 people are usually listed as missing at any given moment. On March 1st of 2020, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) had 11,500 missing person cases. 200 to 300 new cases are being added daily, while just as many solved ones get deleted.

So remember I gave you his physical description in the beginning; this is why. Lars was last seen wearing jean shorts, white shoes and a yellow tee. As I said before, he’s about 5’9 (180cm) and as of his disappearance, was 185 to 187 lb (85kg). He’s considered “endangered missing” and could be disoriented, in psychosis, or even have memory loss.

Anyone with information is urged to contact German authorities at +49 1577 8300 896 or reach out via email at [email protected], as every piece of information could hold the key to unraveling this mystery and giving his family peace of mind.

This case reminds me of a collab episode I did with Weird Horizon podcast last year about Elisa Lam. It was episode 47 if you want to go back and listen to it.

And that is the mystery behind the disappearance of Lar Mittank. What do you think about this? Do you think this happened because of getting hit in the head or do you think it’s something else?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and you have 3 ways of sharing them with me:

You can tell me in the comments below
You can join the LaM facebook group. It’s a free and welcoming group where you can discuss the cases with the rest of the LaMs
You can join the exclusive LaM community here at www.patreon.com/loveandmurder Right now we have options starting at only $1/mo

Speaking of which, Let’s talk about this update I’ve been teasing.

if you join Patreon at only $1/mo you get commercial free episodes – so like this episode minus the commercials and also with all the additions of the case – pictures, videos, pictures of evidence. All of that. Get in now at the $1 and be grandfathered in because soon this tier is going up due to all the extras you’ll be getting. The best tier is the $5/mo and above because not only do you get these things, but you also get bonus episodes and access to everything that I post throughout the web. You get it all here in this one little community.

www.patreon.com/loveandmurder. Come on over, we’d love to have you.

Before you go, don’t forget to give me a 5 star review on whatever platform you’re on. That would help me out greatly and it takes no time at all. So thanks in advance. Next week, I’m talking about a case so insane, you’re gonna be frothing at the mouth from anger.