Grobbendonk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – De Wolf, sentenced in Antwerp to 8 years’ prison and 10 years’ supervision for severe abuse and assault, was caught in Grobbendonk by FAST after a month on Belgium’s Most Wanted list.
As VRT and HLN News reported, early in the morning, June 20, 2025, about a month after being on the Most Wanted list, FAST officers caught De Wolf in Grobbendonk, a municipality in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. The arrest happened without any problems. He is now in jail and will start his sentence, and the extra 10 years of supervision.
The police are also exploring whether those who assisted him in concealing may also be charged with aiding a criminal, which is an offence. They stated that when the community members and the police work in collaboration, they can apprehend those who commit crimes and evade justice, particularly violent criminals.
What led to De Wolf’s capture after fleeing the Antwerp sentence?
In Antwerp, De Wolf was sentenced to 8 years in prison and 10 years of supervision. Authorities can watch and control them even after prison. He was convicted of very serious offences, including violence, abuse and sexual assault of multiple victims, including a child. The court found De Wolf to be a high risk because of the nature of his offences and his repeated courses of hurting. For that reason, he is to be reviewed closely once he is out of jail.
After the sentencing, De Wolf didn’t accept the punishment and ran away. Police started looking for him right away. First, the local police tried to find him using regular methods. When that didn’t work, the Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) took over. This team is for finding dangerous criminals who have escaped.
To get help from the public, De Wolf was put on Belgium’s Most Wanted list in May 2025. Police shared his picture and information, hoping people would help. Many people gave tips, suggesting where De Wolf might be.
Investigators checked each tip carefully, slowly figuring out where he was. Eventually, they found him in Grobbendonk, a town in Antwerp. He had been hiding with help from people he knew, who might have helped him hide from the police.
Lailuma Sadid is a former diplomat in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy to the kingdom of Belgium, in charge of NATO. She attended the NATO Training courses and speakers for the events at NATO H-Q in Brussels, and also in Nederland, Germany, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. Sadid has is a former Political Reporter for Pajhwok News Agency, covering the London, Conference in 2006 and Lisbon summit in 2010.
