Six men are suspected of having committed seven very violent robberies in varying combinations. Mainly between Hoorn and Alkmaar. “And without exception, weapons were taken and used. There was also abuse. Someone was hit with a crowbar and another even had a hot iron pressed on his arm,” said press officer Anne de Leeuw.
Beaten with a crowbar and shot dead
This was also the case with Sjaak Groot on July 14, 2021. In the middle of the night he wakes up from the noise. He goes to take a look and then comes face to face with the robbers. He gets a gun pointed at him, but resists. He is beaten with a hockey stick and a crowbar.
When he tries to take the gun, he is shot. The perpetrators flee. He tries to call 911, but in vain. Hours later he is found dead, with the phone still in his hand.
Victim statement
The lawyer for the surviving relatives, Liselotte van Gaalen, read a statement on behalf of the surviving relatives. Two stepchildren of Sjaak Groot. His son Sjaak Junior recently passed away. “It was a huge shock for us. Four weeks earlier, our mother (ed. partner of Sjaak Groot) had died. Our children saw him as a grandfather and suddenly had to miss him and their grandmother.”
Five of the six men suspected of this robbery all deny being involved or remain silent. After hearing the victim statement, they wished the relatives strength and offered their condolences. But they also said they had nothing to do with it.
“Mustard after the meal in the sense of, they won’t get Sjaak back either. But it is nice that they have been able to exercise their right to speak,” said lawyer Van Gaalen. According to the Public Prosecution Service, there is sufficient evidence. Mainly based on a large amount of telephone data.
The 14-day trial continues on Monday.