The police received a report from an alert citizen who reported suspicious activities around the garage box during the evening and night hours. This report prompted a visit to the garage box.
Garage Box Full of Boxes
At around 3:30 PM, the first officers arrived on the scene. The garage box was full of boxes with vapes and at least 1,600 kilos of illegal fireworks. The exact type of fireworks is still under investigation. It is clear that it is heavy fireworks that one is not allowed to possess.
Arrests
Three suspects were arrested in the vicinity of the garage box, consisting of two 17-year-old boys from Hoogezand and a 22-year-old man from the same town.
Very Dangerous Situation
The fact that vapes and fireworks were stored together in one garage box created a very dangerous situation. Vapes can ignite violently due to the lithium batteries contained within them, and the large amount of fireworks is highly flammable. If a fire had broken out in this garage box in the middle of a residential area, the consequences would have been dire.
Always Report Suspicious Situations (can also be anonymous)
The police are very grateful to the informant for their vigilance. This informant recognized and took seriously signals of suspicious situations.
Does a house or garage box receive visitors late at night or during the night often? Are there many cars passing by? Do the visitors leave with bags and packages? Then there may be criminal activities.
You know your neighborhood best. If you see strange or suspicious situations, always report them to the police. This can be done by calling 0900-8844. Would you prefer to remain anonymous? Then contact Meld Misdaad Anoniem, make an online report or call 0800-7000.
