More and more people are walking on or next to the tracks between Maarheeze and Weert. ProRail confirms this after questions from Omroep Brabant. Most rail runners probably come from the asylum seekers’ center in Budel, although the rail manager does not want to confirm this. Due to extra security at Maarheeze station, fare evasion has become more difficult from the beginning of February. The municipality of Weert now also reports nuisance from asylum seekers. The surveillance team that is already active in Budel and Maarheeze is therefore now also checking in Weert.
The rail manager sees an increase in the number of rail walkers this year and has already installed cameras in February. “Walking on or next to the track is prohibited, it is life-threatening. The train has a suction effect, even if you walk next to the track.”
The railway manager has special teams patrolling. The company is still considering whether further measures are necessary. The rail connection between Maarheeze and Weert is attractive to walk along. It is a straight route of about six kilometers and that is easy to do on foot.
“We often see who they are, but what can we as women do about it?”
The municipality of Weert also confirms that people walk along the track. “In Africa they don’t think that’s strange at all,” says a spokesman. According to the municipality, there is also nuisance from asylum seekers from Budel at the station and the shops in Weert: “There is hassle, shoplifting and fare fare”, says the spokesperson.
Sufficient reason, according to the municipality, to deploy extra supervisors in Weert for the past three weeks. This is the same team that has been active in Budel and Maarheeze for several months now. The team is an initiative of the Ministry of Justice and is also deployed in Ter Apel. The team talks to asylum seekers on the street and wants to make entrepreneurs feel safer.
They have recently experienced more nuisance from asylum seekers. An employee of the Bristol shoe store: “We often see who they are, but what can we as women do about it? We mainly suffer from theft. Last weekend we had three or four empty shoeboxes. But we are not sure whether these shoes were stolen by asylum seekers.” According to the entrepreneurs, these are often French or English-speaking men.
“I thought: this is going to cost me pants.”
All retailers describe the same kind of strategy. A group of about four men enter the store. One of them reports with a question and the rest scatter around the store. Then they try to strike, according to the shopkeepers.
That was also the case with a jeans seller in the center. “The four of them came in. One went to the checkout, another went to the more expensive pants and the other two went to somewhere else in the store. I stood in a corner to see everything. I thought: this is going to cost me pants. I took out my phone and filmed everything.
“If I see that they want to come in, I ask if they have money with them.”
An owner of a clothing store a few doors away no longer lets them in: “When I see that they want to come in, I ask if they have any money with them. Or say, for example, that I am just about to close. Then they automatically drop out.”
The entrepreneurs are disappointed by the thefts, but also recognize that the problems in Maarheeze and Budel are many times greater.
Since the arrival of the supervision team, some of the shopkeepers in Weert have experienced less nuisance. They are all happy with the arrival of the supervisors.
Do you want to share your story with us? Which can. Editors from Omroep Brabant will be in Budel and Maarheeze from Monday 24 July to Friday 28 July. You are welcome to share your story with us. But you can also email us at [email protected] or call or app to 040-2949492.
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