In an article from the Neue Zürcher Zeitung I read:
An mehreren Orten wurden gleichzeitig Hausdurchsuchungen durchgeführt und Fahrzeuge sichergestellt, wie die Kantonspolizei am Dienstag mitteilte.
I am confused about the usage of "wurden [...] durchgeführt" and, by analogy, "wurden [...] sichergestellt".
If I understand correctly, this is in the Indikativ Präteritum in the passive voice; but the journalist is here reporting a communication from the police, so I would expect the Konjunktiv I to be used instead.
Why is it not so? I can think of a few possible reasons:
- Peculiarity of Swiss usage -- although, as far as I know, the NZZ is considered to have good standard German style
- "Seien [...] sichergestellt worden", although technically more correct, is simply too verbose
- No need for Konjunktiv I because the sentence makes it clear already that it's reported speech
- Konjunktiv I is simply not used in the passive voice
- This is not "reported speech" because the "Mitteilung" from the police was likely a written message instead of anything oral