The invention relates to a method for the detection of a leakage (30a, b) in a double pipe (2), wherein a medium (22) located in an intermediate chamber (10) between the interior (6) and exterior pipe (8) is moved toward a first end (16a) of the double pipe (2), whereupon medium (22) flows in from the second end (16b). On the first end (16a) the medium (22) is examined for any leakage (30a, b) of a characteristic material (7, 36), upon the detection (34) of which a leakage signal (34) is generated and a location (L1, 2) of the leakage (30a, b) is calculated based on the transport time (Tx) of the characteristic material (7, 36) from the leakage (30a, b) to the first end (16a) and based on the mass flow (Avi, Evi) of the medium (22). A corresponding device (4) contains a conveyor unit (18, 36) for moving the medium (22) through the intermediate chamber (10), a material sensor (28a, b) disposed at the first end (16a) for examining the medium (22) for the characteristic material (7, 36), a mass flow sensor (24a, b) at the first end (16a) for the medium (22), a control and analysis unit (32) for generating a leakage signal (34) and calculating of the location (L1, 2) of the leakage (30a, b) based on the transport time (Tx) and the mass flow sensor (24a, b).