The Public Prosecution Service demands four years in prison for a 24-year-old woman and sixteen months in prison for a 21-year-old man from Romania. According to the Public Prosecution Service, these sentences are necessary to stop the roaming duo from their thefts. They are suspected of stealing phones in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Uden, and Amsterdam. Both suspects were in the Netherlands to liberate café and restaurant-goers from their phones.
The couple was apprehended on December 6, 2024, thanks to an observant victim. She discovered shortly after the theft that the female suspect wanted to flee with her phone. The victim followed the woman out of the restaurant and encountered not only the suspect but also a police patrol car. As a result, the woman and her driver, the male suspect, were immediately apprehended.
Mobile Bandits
In the car, a hidden compartment was found containing various phones wrapped in aluminum foil. The police then did good work by investigating whether more phone thefts could be linked to these suspects. This yielded a mountain of evidence. As far as the Public Prosecution Service is concerned, there is sufficient evidence that both suspects were present in the Netherlands as mobile bandits to liberate café and restaurant-goers from their phones, concludes the public prosecutor.
Ultimately, it was decided to stop collecting reports and camera footage, not because there were no leads left, but because the capacity investment became too large. This is a persistent dilemma for the Public Prosecution Service: the time spent on one case cannot be spent on another. This means making choices. Therefore, the Public Prosecution Service has limited itself to these cases.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, there is enough in the file to prove that the female suspect has stolen at least eighteen phones. This is primarily evident from camera footage. The Public Prosecution Service also finds it proven that the male suspect was at least her driver on December 6, 2024. Because he, according to the Public Prosecution Service, knew that the woman was stealing phones and he consciously assisted her, the Public Prosecution Service has requested the court to convict him for aiding in the theft of five phones.
Stop Em Away
The theft of phones is a major problem in busy cities. In Utrecht, the issue is increasing, and a campaign has recently been launched to warn people. With the text Stop em away, visitors to the center in Utrecht are reminded that they should preferably not keep their phone or wallet in their back pocket, but rather in an inside pocket or behind a zipper. Especially in crowded places, such as at the station, in cafés and restaurants, or while shopping, one must be alert. Also, nightlife crowds are attractive to pickpockets, as people are often under the influence of alcohol.
If you do become a victim of a pickpocket, file a report. Although not every case will be solved, this criminal case shows that one case can ultimately lead to many thefts being resolved. The suspects receive a higher sentence because they can be linked to multiple offenses. And the victims get the chance to file for compensation. In this case, the victims are requesting a total of more than twelve thousand euros in material damages, which the Public Prosecution Service believes is largely grantable.
Convicted Abroad
According to the Public Prosecution Service, these two suspects would not have stopped stealing on their own. Both suspects have previously been convicted of thefts abroad, where they received conditional sentences. This did not stop the couple from their thefts; it only caused them to move to another country. Therefore, in the opinion of the Public Prosecution Service, only a substantial unconditional prison sentence is appropriate now.
Against the 24-year-old woman, the Public Prosecution Service demands an unconditional prison sentence of four years. The 21-year-old man should, if it is up to the Public Prosecution Service, spend sixteen months in prison. The court will rule on June 5, 2025.