Hollywood Blockbuster Heist in Brussels: Illegal Residence and Conviction of Defendant

2023-11-03 16:16:00

Residing illegally on Belgian territory, the defendant claims to have only learned of his conviction on September 30, when he was arrested in a Brussels train station. In August 2012, he had already been sentenced to 4 years in prison for similar offenses. He claims today that he was drinking heavily at the time and says he does not remember the facts.

A heist worthy of a “Hollywood Blockbuster” in Brussels

The defendant had been involved in what was called the “escalator” thefts, carried out at Namur station at the time. Its role was to distract the “prey”. Once the victim was spotted, one of them stood in front of her on the escalator and two others stood behind her. The first managed to create a traffic jam by dropping an object so that the second accomplice would steal the wallet and give it to the third, then disperse.

The counsel for this 50-year-old man pleads for a probationary suspension for the entire sentence. He explains that sending him back to prison 10 years following the events would not make sense. “I myself have not had a clear explanation, when I ask him if he committed these acts, he tells me that it is possible. He was on the street, has no more memories. He lived in the night shelter. Today he is stressed because he has no explanation to give. He has changed, he is trying to regularize himself, to get out of his homeless life, to reconnect with his daughters who live in Spain.”

The representative of the prosecution, deputy Vandermeiren, recalls that the defendant was the subject of police observations, that he was recognized as a drug seller by 2 clients. Video surveillance images confirm the thefts, also mentioned by co-defendants. “The events took place 10 years ago. The defendant is still illegally staying, has no official address, he works under the table, I do not believe in calling him into question, he persists in his delinquent behavior.”

Documents will be submitted to the file on November 17.

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