Grower Gert-Jan robbed of thousands of vegetable crates by ‘ errand boys’: “Million trade”

It is the night of March 31 to April 1, 2020, when 7,200 crates – so-called folding boxes – are stolen from De Wit’s partnership. The company on the Verlengde Raadhuislaan in Grootebroek grows broccoli and chicory.

An amount of 3.86 euros each is paid for the crates, plus almost 60 euro cents in rent. The company would therefore have suffered about 40,000 euros in damage as a result of the theft.

The crates are delivered and collected by the Euro Pool company, which is located throughout Europe. Provided they are not stolen. Because there is a lively trade in crates, Gert-Jan de Wit knows from experience. He told about it today in the court of Alkmaar.

“This does not only happen to me, but also to 50 or 100 other companies. In West Friesland I already know 5 or 6 companies where this has also happened. This is a gigantic criminal organization. Why do they drive differently from Brabant all the way to Grootebroek? Millions are involved.”

He does not have the impression that he is now meeting the leaders in Alkmaar, a few meters in front of him. He looks at the suspect Jeremy K., Joey K. and Anthony K. from Brabant. “These are bellboys, but they have to be dealt with. Otherwise it just keeps going.”

Coincidence or not: a day earlier, the lawyer for the three suspects, he says, was in Middelburg in Zeeland for exactly the same case. Thousands of crates were also stolen there.

From Rosmalen to Grootebroek

After the burglary and theft at the West Frisian, in the spring of 2020, the detectives tracked down the Brabant trio via an anonymous tip. Two of the three are then only 18 years old.

The rented van with which the whole thing was stolen is registered in the name of one of the three. According to the GPS data, they drove from Rosmalen to Grootebroek and stood still around De Wit’s company for 26 minutes. Later, there is also a longer stop in Breda, where a storage shed for crates is found.

Camera images and telephone data also speak against the trio. The court quoted from the mutually sent messages: “I really don’t have much with me. Will I have 1000? Can I?” Throughout today’s hearing of the case, the three kept their jaws tight.

De Wit stated that a total of 8,800 crates have disappeared, the Public Prosecutor kept it at the 7,200 that was stated in the report.

A community service of 120 hours was demanded against the trio of suspects from Brabant. In addition, Joey K. would have to serve another day in prison and the three would have to pay 32,000 euros. The verdict will be announced on August 18.