Lanaken (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On September 28, 2025, a masked man robbed Ladbrokes in Smeermaas, Lanaken, stole a large sum, and fled toward the Netherlands. Lanaken police launched an investigation, seeking witnesses and security footage.
As VRT News reported, A man wearing a mask conducted an armed robbery on Sunday night, Sept 28, 2025, on the betting shop Ladbrokes on the Maaseikersteenweg in Smeermaas near the border with the Netherlands. The police zone Lanaken-Maasmechelen was informed of an incident around 10:15 p.m.
There were several clients inside the store when the male entered. Staff said that the robber was wearing a black balaclava and dark sunglasses, so they could not see his face. He spoke in a Slavic accent and shouted at everyone, saying,
“Don’t do anything stupid and everything will be all right.”
“I notified my boss first and then the police immediately afterwards,”
said office worker H., who returned to work Monday, still somewhat shaken.
Who robbed Ladbrokes in Smeermaas Lanaken on September 28?
The robbery is now being looked into by authorities as part of a full investigation. Police are currently reviewing shop security cameras and footage from the neighbourhood. They are also requesting anyone who may have seen the man before or after the crime to report to the police. Officers want to identify the suspect and prevent further crime.
The fraudulent agent threatened the sports book cashier with a weapon, compelling him to surrender a substantial amount of money. The clerk reported that the turn of events unfolded within just a few minutes. After seizing the cash, the perpetrator fled rapidly, either at or near Brugstraat and possibly heading toward the border area.
Witnesses and the clerk suggested that he may have parked a car in the area or had an accomplice waiting before making his escape into the Netherlands.
“I wasn’t really scared of the man at any point, but I did panic for a moment. At first, I thought it was a joke; I didn’t immediately realise it was a robbery,”
H. confesses.
On April 3rd, 2015, a robbery was executed by 3 armed men at a Ladbrokes gambling house in Saint-Gilles, Brussels. The robbery occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Boulevard Jamar. Witnesses stated that the robbers displayed handguns as they entered the gambling house.
They directed all of the visitors in the gambling house to lie down on the floor while 2 of the men opened the cash drawer and emptied it. Afterwards, all 3 men fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. They immediately began investigating the robbery by searching for suspects and trying to eliminate the likelihood of future robberies in the area.
