Brussels (The Brussels morning Newspaper): On August 22, Brussels police arrested five teenagers linked to a violent gang known for thefts and assaults in public areas. The operation aimed to dismantle the gang and enhance community safety.
On August 22, detectives from the Brussels-West police zone, which includes Molenbeek, Ganshoren, Jette, Koekelberg, and Sint-Agatha-Berchem, carried out five house searches. They were investigating a gang in Brussels known for violent crimes, especially violent thefts and attacks. The police say that gang members are known for being very aggressive and often use extreme violence during their crimes.
Is Brussels police successfully tackling youth gang violence?
The gang mostly operates in public places like parks and metro stations, where they commit violent crimes, making them a serious threat to safety. The recent house searches were part of a bigger effort by the police to stop the gang and catch its members. This operation is part of an ongoing investigation aimed at breaking up the gang and preventing more violence and theft in the city. Police spokesman Johan Beckmans mentioned that they are aware of the gang’s actions and are actively working to tackle the violence they cause. The main goal is to protect the community and keep these public spaces safe for everyone, with police focused on gathering more information and taking action against the gang to lessen their impact on public safety.
Five teenagers, aged 15 to 17, were arrested during a police operation on August 22 because they are already known for being involved in violent crimes this year, like thefts and attacks in public places such as parks and metro stations. Their aggressive actions are raising concerns about safety in Brussels. Even though they are young, they have a serious criminal record, which led the police to conduct coordinated searches. This situation highlights a worrying trend of youth involvement in organized crime, and authorities are now working to gather more evidence and understand the gang’s structure to prevent further incidents. The legal process will consider their age, but the severity of their actions may impact how they are treated by the justice system.
Three of the suspects were taken to the Brussels public prosecutor’s office, and a juvenile judge decided to place them in a community facility. The other two suspects are being handled by the Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor’s office. The juvenile judge decided to put one of them in an institution, while the other one was let go.
