Izegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A construction site in the village of Zwevegem, which belongs to the town of Avelgem, located in West Flanders, was the place of a clash between some local hunters and a possible thief caught on the premises this week. The situation escalated, as the hunters found out about something fishy going on and decided to interfere, resulting in the arrest of a person until the arrival of the police following the alarm made by Frederick, a 44-year-old construction company owner.
The chain of events that happened, as narrated by the people who witnessed them, starts when the suspect tried to steal something from the construction site. Many construction sites in Belgium are very vulnerable to any form of theft because things like equipment, scaffolding, copper wires, and fuel are some of the things that thieves usually steal in these places. Hunters were fortunate enough to be around and played an important role in stopping the theft.
How did hunters help catch the suspect?
Hunter in West Flanders who is active in the rural and semi-rural area is known to patrol the field and forest areas which gives them the best position to be aware of any suspicious activity around the isolated area like construction sites. It was in Zwevegem that hunters took matters into their own hands and when they saw that there was someone stealing, they decided to hold him on the spot till the authorities arrive. This was confirmed by Frederick who is the entrepreneur of the construction firm.
“I issued an emergency call immediately after the hunters signaled that they had someone,”
Frederick said.
This swift coordination helped ensure that police officers would get to the scene while the suspect was still under the control of the hunters. It also shows how civilian vigilance may supplement official policing in cases where construction sites are dispersed and not constantly supervised.
What was Frederick’s reaction to the suspect’s release?
Although the arrest was a success, the outcome of this situation left Frederick disappointed and doubtful about the efficiency of the entire judicial system. As he described, the suspect was arrested and processed by the police but was soon released. Since a businessman like Frederick knows how often such thefts occur in construction areas, this rapid release seemed a waste of chance.
“Suspect was walking around free again just a few hours later,”
Frederick said, voicing a concern shared by many contractors and site managers in Belgium.
Why was the suspect released so quickly?
Belgium allows its police to detain an individual suspected of theft for some time—usually 24 hours—for interrogation and identification purposes. Following the first detention period, the public prosecutor can either continue to detain the suspect, put conditions on his/her release, or release him/her. In cases where individuals commit property offenses but are identified and do not pose any threat, release takes place immediately following the first period of detention. This situation explains how the individual suspected of committing a burglary in Zwevegem was released after he/she was apprehended by the police.
It is, however, a source of irritation for people paying for the damages that arise from theft. “Nothing seems to change,” Frederick said. While the legal system focuses on being proportionate and protecting suspects until proven guilty, contractors feel that theft needs more preventive actions than those currently being undertaken.
How common are construction-site thefts in Belgium?
Theft on construction sites is not uncommon in Belgium. There have been several cases reported of tools and material being stolen from construction sites in Belgium. Within recent months, there have been several instances where people have been apprehended red-handed by the police for the same reason.
In Heule, two suspects were found stealing material from a construction site, while a suspect was arrested in Turnhout during the night on similar charges. Theft of copper is still very common, even more so when done from an industrial or abandoned site where organized gangs target valuable materials for quick reselling. Theft of copper at Zwevegem follows a similar trend in that isolated or partially secured sites tend to be vulnerable, and thieves usually depend on their ability to flee quickly before the police show up.
“Without the hunters, he would have been gone,”
Frederick said, acknowledging their role in preventing a clean escape.
