The 36-year-old man from Rosmalen who robbed three gas stations last September will be behind bars for three years. The judge in Den Bosch decided this on Thursday. The robber worked in a special way. For example, employees who he threatened with a knife received a ‘punching’ after he grabbed from the cash register.
According to the man, the robberies were a cry for help for his problems. He is said to be addicted and in debt. The court still more or less agrees with the justice department’s demand. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded a four-year prison sentence, but one of them is conditional, the court decided.
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Additional conditions are linked to that conditional year. For example, the man is obliged to report to the probation service and must be admitted to a care institution. If he does not comply, he will spend an extra year behind bars. The man must also pay six thousand euros in damages.
Pack of cigarettes
The gas stations in Rosmalen, Heeswijk-Dinther and Schaijk were robbed between Monday September 16 and Sunday September 22. The man worked according to a pattern.
For example, he wore the same clothes during all three robberies and during all robberies he walked to the cash register to supposedly order a pack of cigarettes. He then grabbed the employee behind the counter and threatened him with a kitchen knife. He then grabbed money from the cash register.
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The salience lies mainly in the tail end of the robberies. Before the robber left the gas station with the loot, he said ‘sorry’ or punched the threatened employee. The court and the Public Prosecution Service had little sympathy for that gesture on Thursday.
Addicted and in debt
The suspect was only arrested after a photo of him was shared on police channels. The 36-year-old man was recognized and arrested a day after the distribution of that investigation notice. The man says he is addicted to drugs and had financial debts. He confesses to having committed the three robberies.