Anderlecht (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Two young men from Anderlecht have been sentenced to 30 months in prison and suspended after pleading guilty to an armed robbery in the Brussels criminal court.
Two young men from the Anderlecht arrondissement got a suspended sentence of 30 months in prison after being tried in the Brussels criminal case regarding an armed robbery. The two were in April of 2023 to have their way with a car dealer from Vilvoorde and get away with his car and jewellery. The suspects were involved in a car chase, whereby the police followed them in several patrol cars and had a helicopter flying overhead.
The victim, who had listed his Audi A5 on the social media site for sale, was attacked by three armed men in the agreed-upon selling venue. He was thumped on the head and relieved of his necklace, watch, and car. Authorities were able to quickly recover the stolen car, which resulted in the suspects trying to escape on foot but were later subdued.
“It was just to act tough,”
a defendant said at the trial.
“We wanted to increase our status in the neighborhood,”
the second added. The Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor’s office took the facts very seriously and demanded an effective prison sentence of 3 years.
The defense argued for an alternative punishment.
“My client only realized the seriousness of his actions in prison,”
said attorney Nathalie Buisseret.
“He was young and reckless and did not realize the scope of his actions. An effective prison sentence does not seem to me to be the best solution.”
The lawyer for the second defendant also did not want to spend another term in prison.
“What is the point of putting those two men in jail?”,
lawyer Mike De Witte wondered out loud.
“Will they come out better? Their short 2-week detention has opened their eyes. I propose a higher sentence, but with a probation period during which they have to work and undergo treatment for their drug use.”
What is the history of the rise in armed carjackings in Brussels?
Incidents of carjacking in Brussels have gone up over the past few years, reports Belgian police statistics up by 27 per cent between 2021 and 2023. The Anderlecht district, which is home to the individuals involved in the particular case, ranks among the most abduction-prone areas of the city, among those to blame for 17.7% of vehicle-related thefts. Most such crimes follow similar actions: unsuspecting car sellers are compromised in tricks, with potential buyers being young people who want to make money quickly or have their reputations boosted.
Cops have stated that the majority of the suspects involved in these heinous acts are often associated with the underworld or street gangs, while some were acting while under the influence of drugs.
In 2023, just in Brussels, the police during the year recorded more than 120 pursuits of stolen vehicles at high speed; helicopters were used in half of the cases. The idea of probation has been a subject of controversy as opponents believe that young offenders will repeat of their behaviours. However, proponents argue that such programs, such as compulsory work and compulsory drug rehabilitation, are very effective in preventing first-time offenders from re-offending.
