A 52-year-old man from Romania has been sentenced to four years in prison for robbing vulnerable elderly people. His compatriot and helper, who was three years younger, was sentenced to three years in prison for his role. The judge calls the behavior of these suspects ‘disrespectful’.
An observant supermarket manager in Zuidhorn suspected in March that two men were not just shopping in his store. The manager noticed that they were constantly very close to the elderly. He called the police and gave a good description of these men.
The description matched seamlessly with that of two people who were registered nationally. These people were known as debit card thieves who had been active throughout the Netherlands for six weeks. Also in Roden and Meppel, among others. The suspects have been in custody since March 15.
The men had a fixed working method. Elderly people who often had difficulty walking were distracted. Their PIN code was copied and the pass was rolled. In a very short time the bank account was emptied.
The men did not shy away from spilling ketchup on their victim’s coat or on their mobility scooter. The men then showed themselves helpful and then fled. They left their elderly victim behind in confusion.
The personal description given by several victims, camera images and confessions together form sufficient evidence for a conviction. The stolen money was often spent on expensive clothing and groceries.
The judge finds it amiss that the men deliberately abused gullible and vulnerable elderly people. Both acted solely for their own financial gain. They did not care about the direct and indirect consequences for the victims, the judge ruled.
Only the sentence of the oldest suspect is slightly higher than the required prison sentence of three years and nine months. The judge used a slightly different calculation method than the Public Prosecution Service. The oldest suspect must repay almost 20,000 euros, the 49-year-old co-suspect more than 8,600 euros.