The police and the judiciary are outraged by the behavior of a suspect from the North Holland robbery gang. Alkmaarder Dut M. is said to have refused a few weeks ago in Berkhout to cooperate in the reconstruction of the robbery of Sjaak Groot. A request he made himself. His lawyer responds.
The police have been taking security measures for two months, the Public Prosecution Service has just reported. “Enormous social costs, an embarrassing display and a slap in the face of everyone in Berkhout.”
The Oosteinde was hermetically sealed last August 29. Neighbors are not even allowed to go outside. In June 2021, Sjaak Groot was shot dead in the street in his house by a group of burglars.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, a group of men are behind this. In varying combinations, the eight allegedly committed this, but also seven other robberies. Alkmaarder Dut M. is the first suspect arrested five months after Sjaak’s death.
His explanation is that he wanted to break into the house to steal a safe, but fled before the shots were fired. His accomplices made too much noise, according to M. The police investigation team states that this cannot be correct from a time perspective.
That is why the lawyers of Alkmaar submitted a request to the court in April to have a reconstruction carried out on location. “The alternative scenario has not become clear,” the Public Prosecution Service now says. According to the justice department, the suspect did not want to cooperate on several occasions.
“There were video vehicles, a drone, dog handlers and extra enforcement capacity”
“He first did not want to be transported, then he did not want to wear an ankle bracelet, he subsequently refused the installation of a battery in the ankle bracelet, he refused to change footwear, and at his destination he did not want to get out of the car.”
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the police and judge were unable to convince him that evening. To the frustration of everyone involved. “A large area was cordoned off, residents were informed in advance, the current residents agreed, a press box was set up and a bus line was diverted,” the justice said.
‘Don’t want to do a play’
According to the Public Prosecution Service, video vehicles, a drone, dog handlers and additional enforcement capacity were also used. The public prosecutor also spoke out in a hearing this morning in the Schiphol court.
“All those involved who contributed to this from the investigation are disappointed with this outcome. Not to mention the enormous social costs associated with a reconstruction of this magnitude, this was an embarrassing spectacle and a slap in the face to everyone who attended that evening. Berkhout stood to facilitate the visualization of this scenario outlined by the defense.”
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Dut M. Geertjan van Oosten’s lawyer responds that it is a ‘sloppy and unsubtle story’ from the Public Prosecution Service. His client would have cooperated: he would have shared a number of memories with the investigation leader from the car.
“It is true that he did not leave the car, but my client did his best to clarify matters. He said from the beginning that he walked criss-cross through bushes and bushes and also took shelter, but “I didn’t remember exactly how. Because it was dark and he was only asked about this months later. There is obviously no point in putting on a play – that can be used against him.”
No memories
In his opinion, the Public Prosecution Service’s accusation is unjustified. “We requested a reconstruction to see whether the memories surfaced again on the spot. Unfortunately, that was not the case, but in my opinion it has become abundantly clear that the timeline of the Public Prosecution Service cannot be correct and that the client’s statement was very plausible.”
Dut M. was first transported from prison to a police station for the reconstruction and the lawyer says about his behavior there: “There were some misunderstandings at the start in the police station, but they were quickly resolved.”
Justice has asked the court to extend the pre-trial detention of six suspects by another three months. The judges will decide on this later today. The substantive treatment of the North Holland robbery gang is expected to take place in March 2024.
NH was in Berkhout the evening of the reconstruction and did not see a press box, as the Public Prosecution Service claims.
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