The Public Prosecution Service demands a 20-month prison sentence, of which three are conditional, against a 23-year-old man from Rotterdam. The man is suspected of deceiving vulnerable individuals by posing as a fake officer. “The suspect deliberately selects victims who are particularly vulnerable and elderly.”
“This time, you knocked on the wrong door,” begins the prosecutor her story during the hearing. On the evening of February 18, 2025, a police officer off-duty receives a call from the suspect, who introduces himself as Jorik van Kampen, supposedly working for the police. Jorik informs that there has been a burglary in the area that night and indicates that a neighborhood officer named Dennis Grootfaan will come by as soon as possible to secure the victims jewelry and money.
The victim, the real officer, recognizes the method and suspects fraud. He decides to play along. Ten minutes later, the suspect appears as a fake officer at the door. As soon as he is let in, the victim immediately confronts him. Who the caller was remains unclear from the police investigation.
Instilling Fear
Following the arrest of the suspect, an investigation is conducted into similar cases. It turns out that several elderly individuals have reported fraud by a person posing as police officers Jorik and Dennis. The method in these reports was consistent; someone calls victims stating that there has been a burglary in the area. He instills fear by saying that they could be the next victim. The victims are then told that someone from the police will come by as soon as possible to bring valuable items to safety or to check if their bank account is digitally secured. However, during the securing of the bank account, the PIN limit is actually increased. Then the fake officer comes by, leaving with the victims phone, debit card, PIN, and credit card. Through the matching name, method, description, surveillance footage, and DNA, the cases are linked to the suspect. In the fraud cases, there is also an unknown accomplice. The suspect is always the one who went to the door of the victims.
Arrested Again
When determining the sentence demand, the seriousness of the facts is taken into account. “There is a calculated abuse of their trust, while these people, due to their age, are increasingly dependent on assistance from various individuals,” the prosecutor states. “The impact on victims in these cases is significant, as suspects come into and around their homes.” Moreover, the suspect, after being suspended in May, is already back to fake officer scams and has thus been arrested again. Considering everything, the Public Prosecution Service finds a prison sentence of 20 months, of which 3 months are conditional, appropriate along with several special conditions.
The court will issue a ruling on November 3.
