Partly due to a report from an observant citizen, three Romanian men were arrested in Maastricht on Thursday. They are alleged to have stolen the wallet of a 91-year-old woman.
A police spokesman confirms the arrests to L1.
Elderly victim
“We received a report from someone who saw two pickpockets. Colleagues quickly got a view of those two via cameras from city surveillance. A little later a 91-year-old woman came forward because her wallet had been stolen,” says the spokesperson. A police patrol then went to the spot.
Three arrests
The police rushed to see the two men getting into a black bus. They were arrested, as was the bus driver. According to the police, the men are 28, 30 and 38 years old. “So far, two victims have come forward. We are calling on any victims and eyewitnesses to the incident to report to us.”
Larger group
The police are therefore seriously taking into account that there are more victims. What complicates the investigation is that the group moved through Maastricht. For example, a witness saw them in the Grote Staat shopping street, while the 91-year-old woman was robbed at De Griend city park.
It is also possible that the group of robbers is larger than the trio that is now incarcerated. A witness saw two more men who had intensive contact with the men who had meanwhile been arrested.
Unjustly suspicious
On Friday, an investigating judge examined the pre-trial detention of the Romanians. One of the men, the driver of the van, was already released on Friday. “He was wrongly identified as a suspect,” says lawyer Raimon Maessen. “The examining magistrate agreed with us.” The other two have since been released. They must answer to the judge.
Popular terrain
Maastricht turns out to be a popular hunting ground for pickpockets. On Saturday, two men from Echt were arrested for stealing several telephones. The police searched these people’s homes and indeed discovered stolen telephones and a ‘significant amount of money’ in their home in Echt. On Sunday, the duo was still in the detention center of the Maastricht police.