Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) A young man in Leuven attempted to steal a Christmas tree at 2:30 a.m., believing it would bring holiday cheer to his neighborhood. He was stopped by a security guard and later taken into custody by police, but was released without charges, leaving the tree behind.
On 17 December around 2:30 a.m. in Leuven, a young man under the influence of alcohol tried to steal a Christmas tree from the market. He had already taken the lights off and was dragging the tree away when a security guard noticed him. The guard stopped the student and called the police to handle the situation.
Was a drunken student’s attempt to steal a Christmas tree justified?
When police arrived, they took the young man into custody and brought him to the station for questioning. There, he explained that he was upset his street didn’t have a Christmas tree like other areas in the city. In his drunken state, he thought he could solve this problem by taking a tree from the Christmas market. Police mentioned that his reasoning showed a mix of good intentions and poor judgment, the police made it clear that it did not justify his attempted theft.
In the end, the young man was allowed to leave the police station and return home, but he had to leave the Christmas tree behind. The officers ensured the tree was put back in its place, undamaged, so others could enjoy it. They mentioned that although the situation didn’t lead to serious consequences, it serves as a funny yet cautionary reminder of how impulsive decisions, especially when under the influence of alcohol, can lead to unexpected trouble.
