Halle (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 3 wooden 200‑kg benches vanished from Hallerbos forest in Halle. Ranger Thomas Boonen suspects a planned theft with a vehicle. Similar thefts, like heavy tables stolen in Lommel, remain unsolved.
As VRT News reported, 3 wooden benches have disappeared from Hallerbos forest in Halle, a place famous for drawing thousands of visitors each year, especially during the bluebell bloom. The benches had only been installed in April 2025, along the Vlasmarktdreef path, intended to offer tired walkers.
Forest ranger Thomas Boonen expressed his disbelief over the theft, explaining that these weren’t ordinary seats that could easily be lifted and carried away. Each bench was 3 meters long, made of solid wood, and weighed around 200 kilograms.
“It’s not something you just sling over your shoulder,”
Boonen said.
How did 3 heavy benches vanish from Hallerbos forest?
The missing benches have left many people upset. They mentioned that they were placed in the Hallerbos to help walkers and tourists rest during their visits. Now they are gone, and the forest has fewer places for people to sit. Rangers and local officials are asking anyone who saw strange activity or vehicles to come forward. For now, no one knows where the benches went.
Forest ranger Thomas Boonen thinks the theft of the 3 benches in the Hallerbos was carefully planned. The benches were on a lane where normal traffic is not allowed, which makes taking them even harder. Boonen believes the thieves came prepared and used a strong vehicle, along with the right tools, to remove the benches without being noticed.
The timing of the theft is still unclear. The missing benches were only noticed after the long National Day weekend. Thomas Boonen said it is still unknown if all 3 benches were stolen at once or on different days.
A similar case happened last year in Lommel, where several heavy picnic tables vanished overnight from a public park. The tables, made of thick oak and weighing more than 150 kilos each, were also too heavy to move without a large vehicle or special equipment.
