The Public Prosecution Service demands 25 years of imprisonment for a 21-year-old man from Maarssen. He, along with two co-defendants, is suspected of a fatal robbery on December 4, 2023. The victim was ambushed in the parking garage under his house in Vinkeveen, where he was stabbed and robbed. The victim died shortly after from his injuries. The perpetrators were after his watch but only made off with a sports bag.
A 21-year-old man from Almere and a 24-year-old man from Rotterdam are also suspected of playing a significant role in this cowardly robbery. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the man from Almere transported the robber to and from the crime scene and provided him with the knife. The Public Prosecution Service demands twelve years in prison for him. The man from Rotterdam is, according to the Public Prosecution Service, the mastermind behind this robbery. He sought executors via Snapchat and provided them with the necessary information. He is expected to receive fourteen years in prison.
DNA on the Knife
The file contains a lot of evidence against the three suspects. This evidence includes chat conversations between the three suspects. There are video recordings of the getaway car, in which the suspects are also recognized. And the location data from their phones confirms their presence. The knife was also found, with DNA from both the suspect and the victim. Investigations into the wound show that the victim was stabbed forcefully in the chest. The blade of the knife was nineteen centimeters long, and the stab wound was seventeen centimeters deep.
Confronted with this evidence, two of the three suspects have partially confessed, according to the Public Prosecution Service, only what was already clear from the file. Only the driver has remained silent or denied the allegations, but there is, according to the Public Prosecution Service, more than enough legal and convincing evidence against him. In addition to a mountain of digital evidence, DNA from the victim was also found in his car.
Enormous Loss
The consequences of this robbery are horrific. The victim leaves behind many friends and family who must continue to live with this enormous loss. This gruesome act also causes a lot of feelings of fear and insecurity. It makes one realize that there are people in our country who are willing to use (deadly) violence to take away what others have worked hard for.
The victim in this case has paid with his life. “In a sudden and cowardly manner, he was ambushed and stabbed in his own trusted environment,” says the public prosecutor. “Left behind in a cold parking garage without the perpetrators caring for him even for a moment. Torn from life for something as trivial as a ‘watch’.”
No Regret or Remorse
When determining the sentence demand, the Public Prosecution Service looks, among other things, at the seriousness of the facts and the personal circumstances of the suspects. It is aggravating that all three suspects seem only to care about themselves. The Public Prosecution Service does not see that the suspects have genuine regret for their actions or that they want to improve their lives.
The suspect from Maarssen stands out negatively in this regard. Immediately after hearing that the victim had died, he went looking for new ‘hot jobs’. Additionally, the suspect already has a significant criminal record and is also suspected of a burglary, possession of firearms, and a robbery against his own family.
The suspect is not cooperating with psychological research. “But everything indicates a suspect with an attitude that shows a high degree of cold calculation, one in which no remorse, regret, or insight is seen,” states the public prosecutor. “An attitude that raises fears that the suspect will do exactly the same thing next time.” Therefore, the Public Prosecution Service wants to protect society from this suspect for as long as possible and demands an unconditional prison sentence of 25 years.
Accomplice and Instigation
Against the 21-year-old man from Almere, the Public Prosecution Service demands an unconditional prison sentence of twelve years for complicity in robbery with violence, resulting in death. Against the 24-year-old man from Rotterdam, the Public Prosecution Service demands an unconditional prison sentence of fourteen years for complicity in instigation of robbery with violence, resulting in death, and participation in a criminal organization.
When the court will rule is still unknown.