Vandals targeted R&R Systems in Gemert. On Wednesday morning, three vans burned to the ground there. This happened after an attempt had already been made to set fire to a company car on Friday. The director has been on his guard day and night since then, but his company has been attacked again. “I set my alarm every night,” sighs director Patrick van der Aa.
R&R Systems develops energy systems to heat and cool companies and homes. Director Van der Aa was called from his bed at four o’clock in the morning. When he arrived at his company at the Vliert, he saw what he had been afraid of for days. Little more than ashes remained of three vans on the site. Last night they went up in flames.
The director had already been on his guard in recent days, because an attempt had already been made to start a fire on Friday. “That morning they tried to set fire to another company bus with firelighters and probably liquid.” A warehouse employee made the discovery after he saw that the fence had been cut. “There are burn marks on three tires and on the back of the bus,” says director Van der Aa
After that first attempt, he immediately took measures. The vans were brought in and extra security was arranged for the weekend. In the meantime, new camera equipment was ordered. “After the weekend I set the alarm every night to see if anything happened,” says Patrick. “It remained quiet on Monday and Tuesday. But now it has happened again.”
The company now has four broken commercial vehicles. The vans also contained many tools to install heat pumps, for example. “We have more than 250,000 euros in damage,” sighs the director. He hasn’t had a bite down his throat since this morning.
“I am now mainly concerned with ensuring that everyone can do their work safely and properly,” he says. “But of course we are very shocked and especially dumbfounded. We don’t know who did this and we can’t understand it.”
No one has yet been arrested for the arson. Van der Aa has given the company’s camera images to the police, who are now investigating. The police are calling on anyone who saw anything to come forward.