After acquaintances of the victim lost contact with her on Wednesday, August 13, officers visited her home on Wittgensteinlaan that same afternoon. There they found the woman deceased. Because there were indications of a crime, the house was declared a crime scene and the police immediately started a Large Scale Investigation Team. Less than a week later, on Tuesday, August 19, detectives arrested three people in connection with the case. These were a 19-year-old woman from Zaandam, a 20-year-old man, and a 23-year-old man – both from Amsterdam. The 19-year-old woman is no longer a suspect in the case, but the two men from Amsterdam still are. They are currently in custody.
Approached by Fake Police Officers
Based on the investigation, detectives strongly consider the scenario that the two arrested suspects posed as police officers to get in contact with the victim. The woman was presumably first contacted by phone by a man pretending to be a police officer. He told her that burglars might try to break in and that an officer would come to check the locks and fittings of her home. Shortly after, a man appeared at the door claiming to perform the inspection and managed to talk his way inside with this excuse. Detectives believe the victim eventually realized something was wrong, a confrontation with the fake officer ensued, and violence was used against her. The victim died from the injuries she sustained.
Community Meeting About the Case
The police announced the suspected involvement of fake officers in the death of the 80-year-old woman during a community meeting about the case. The purpose of this meeting on Friday afternoon, October 24, was mainly to provide neighborhood residents with explanations and prevention tips about the fake officer scam. “Although it is exceptional for a situation with fake officers to escalate like this, we strongly felt the need to briefly involve the neighborhood in the case and especially to explain how to recognize such a fake officer,” explains Margriet Bokdam, team leader of the Nieuw West-North basic team. “Additionally, we discussed what to do if you think you are dealing with fake officers or any other situation you do not trust. Unfortunately, criminals use all kinds of scams, so we addressed this in general. The police have previously raised awareness about this theme in various ways, but especially in light of this serious case, it is good to pay more detailed attention during such a meeting.”
Number of Incidents
In July 2025, the police, together with Omroep MAX, launched a campaign to raise awareness among the elderly about scams where criminals pose as fake officers. The police receive daily reports of this type of fraud, and this year 9,551 incidents have been registered. This form of fraud is not only punishable but also undermines the integrity of the police. Trust in authorities is damaged when criminals impersonate police officers. The police continue to commit to protecting the elderly and actively combating this type of crime.
Prevention of Fake Officers
Criminals invent all kinds of tricks to get inside your home and take your valuables. They deceive you by pretending to be police officers or bank employees. With elaborate stories, they try to gain your trust to eventually gain access to your home. One of the most important tips remains: no matter what they claim, do not let them in.
Want to know more about what you can do against fake officers? Then visit www.politie.nl/onderwerpen/nepagenten.html. More information about scams in general is available via www.politie.nl/onderwerpen/babbeltruc.html.
