In September 2024, a 92-year-old woman in Heusden becomes a victim of a violent robbery. The suspects pull a wedding ring off her finger. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) holds several suspects responsible for this and other violent robberies and suspects them, among other things, of burglaries, scams, and drug possession. Today, the OM demanded prison sentences of up to 14 years against the men.
‘The details in these cases are often shocking. The extremely violent actions against the victim of the street robbery. The determination with which the suspects repeatedly returned to steal valuable and cherished belongings from a 92-year-old lady.’ This is how the public prosecutor begins his indictment. The case involves various offenses in 2024, where elderly women were often the victims: violent home robberies, various attempts at it, a street robbery, and attempts at fraud.
Injured by Violence
In the night of September 28 after 4:00 AM, the police arrive at the scene in Heusden after a 92-year-old woman reports a home robbery. She states that she was robbed by five masked men. One of them pulls a wedding ring off her finger, causing injury to her hand. She is also grabbed by her shoulder and pushed onto the bed. Money and jewelry are stolen. Later it turns out that a similar home robbery took place earlier that year in June in Den Bosch. An 82-year-old woman is then robbed by several men, who steal jewelry and valuable stones. The woman is grabbed by her wrists and one of the men pulls a chain from her neck. The street robbery takes place on October 7 in Den Bosch after an appointment was made for the sale of vapes and cigarettes. The victim is kicked, beaten, and tasered by five men. He sustains injuries to his head and his borrowed car is also taken.
Abundance of Evidence
The police then start an investigation into the incidents. An abundance of evidence, including information from phones, mast data, camera footage, wiretaps, and statements, support the reports. DNA matching one of the suspects is found on the cylinder lock of the elderly victim. DNA is found on a window belonging to a suspect who had previously attempted to enter. In a storage box of another suspect, shoes with his DNA are found, matching a shoe print in the house. The wallet of the woman is also found in the storage box.
Jointly
The incidents are not isolated: in 2024, several criminal offenses occur targeting elderly women. In addition to the two mentioned robberies, there was also an attempt to break into an 89-year-old woman. There are also attempts at fraud, mostly targeting elderly women. Sometimes these scams succeed, and valuable jewelry is taken for a lot of money. Suspects impersonate police officers, among others, and try to obtain money and jewelry that way. In all cases, the offenses are committed jointly, in varying combinations. Throughout the investigation, drug possession, possession of cobras, and fencing also come to light.
Strong Response
The public prosecutor: ‘Imagine: a 92-year-old woman, alone, being robbed in her own bedroom in the middle of the night. The panic. The fear. The helplessness. Criminals who deliberately target elderly women exploit their vulnerability and gullibility. It is among the most cowardly and shocking forms of crime. And it is therefore of great societal importance that the rule of law sends a strong signal: those who abuse and use violence in this way can expect a strong response.’
Taking into account the seriousness of the offense and all facts and circumstances, the Public Prosecution Service demands prison sentences ranging from 2 to 14 years. This takes into account the offenses for which the suspects are held responsible, their role in it, aggravating circumstances such as the choice of vulnerable victims, and previous convictions. The judge will rule on July 9.