The first robbery took place on Tuesday, March 4, in Waalwijk, when two men stormed into the hardware store on Professor Zeemanweg. Armed with a firearm, they threatened the staff and then fled with the cash register.
A week earlier, on Friday, February 28, a similar robbery occurred in Loon op Zand, a few villages further. This time, the target was a furniture store, where the staff was again threatened with a firearm. However, the duo fled without any loot and disappeared on foot towards the center of Loon op Zand.
Similar Methods
The police quickly discovered similarities in the methods used in both robberies. In both cases, the victims were threatened with a firearm, and the robbers left in a similar manner, heading towards a vehicle. This accelerated the case, allowing the police to quickly track down the three Tilburg residents.
Two Birds with One Stone
One of the 19-year-old men is also suspected of an armed street robbery on January 17 of this year, during which an electric bike and a bag were stolen. This 19-year-old is thus the fourth suspect in the investigation.
The suspects are currently in custody and being interrogated.