Heavy prison sentences were demanded against a group of seven suspects on Thursday for assaulting an elderly woman. Those sentences range from two to eight years. The 81-year-old woman was robbed on September 22, 2020 in her home in the outskirts of Duizel.
The robbery on the elderly woman happened around half past two in the morning. She was threatened by three men with a firearm and hammer. The men then violently pulled her bag from her hands, containing money and her bank card. The woman was forced to give her PIN code.
While two of the robbers tried to withdraw the money from her account at the Holland Casino in Eindhoven, one of the robbers stayed with the woman.
She was eventually left on the bed with tie wraps around her ankles and wrists. Moments later she managed to warn a neighbor. He found the hammer and a balaclava outside.
Men arrested
Shortly afterwards, the police arrested two 21-year-old suspects in Valkenswaard. They drove on the N2 near Waalre in a stolen van. When the police wanted to check on them, they quickly fled. But the van crashed near a campsite in Valkenswaard.
During the arrest, the police found items in and around the van that the men had stolen during the robbery. These were the driver’s license, debit card and a note with the victim’s PIN code.
Seven suspects
A total of seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the robbery. The Public Prosecution Service suspects that one of the men planned the robbery. That’s the friend of the victim’s granddaughter. He was not involved in carrying out the robbery.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, this is probably because he was still wearing an ankle bracelet at the time, because of another criminal offense he had committed. The investigation by the police shows that he has been on preliminary reconnaissance with a number of suspects.
‘She will feel unsafe for the rest of her life’
The public prosecutor referred to in court the suffering caused to the woman and the fact that she did not stand a chance against the suspects.
“They treated her terribly during the robbery. I wonder if the suspects ever thought about what could have happened if the lady hadn’t managed to free herself. She will feel unsafe for the rest of her life in a place where she should feel the most safe. Suspects have taken that from her.”
Sentencing against suspects
When determining the requirements, the public prosecutor took into account the roles of the suspects. The granddaughter’s friend was demanded the highest prison sentence, because he had an important role as initiator and already had a criminal record.
The demands:
- Eight years in prison against the initiator.
- Five years in prison against four suspects.
- Two years in prison for the sixth suspect.
- Six years in prison against the seventh suspect.
The court will rule on September 23.
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