Oudsbergen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Police discovered multiple illegal weapons along with explosives while executing a search of the individual who threatened a bailiff with a weapon on Tuesday afternoon. During multiple hours, the 64-year-old man used his home located on the Weg naar Gruitrode in Opglabbeek (Oudsbergen) as a barricade.
A 64-year-old resident barricaded himself in his house at Weg naar Gruitrode in Opglabbeek after threatening a bailiff and a police inspector with weapons on a Tuesday afternoon in Oudsbergen. Law enforcement performed hours of dialogue before officers entered the house to uncover the deceased man.
Police investigations of the property site showed that it contained various forbidden weapons, including crossbows along with ammunition and explosives, as well as homemade explosive materials. The hazardous substances were removed safely by DOVO service personnel before the residence received closure clearance from an expert company.
The events started when officials sent a bailiff to the homeowner’s house but he refused them entry. The bailiff and police inspector faced threats with weapons, which forced the deployment of law enforcement personnel. The situation dragged on as the man locked himself inside the structure. Police employed a “frozen” tactic to prevent further escalation, supported by a negotiator from the special units.
The man’s silence suddenly ended police communication, so authorities entered his residence. The CARMA police force investigates the incident with oversight from Limburg’s public prosecutor’s office.
The man was found lifeless in the house,
the local police reported.
The script for suspicious deaths was started.
What is the history of the Oudsbergen incident?
The disturbance at Oudsbergen demonstrates the problems that police forces encounter when they have to deal with people possessing forbidden weapons along with explosives. Belgian police statistics show a prohibited weapon and homemade explosive cases are slightly more common in Limburg’s rural territories along with other parts of Belgium.
The DOVO service which is in charge of explosive response, carries out 200 annual operations in Belgium to eliminate dangerous materials.
The use of negotiation tactics, such as the “frozen” approach, is a standard procedure to de-escalate high-risk situations, emphasising minimal force. Bailiffs now receive police support during troublesome house visits because of their work with contentious matters. The dangerous nature of law enforcement duties, along with specialised crisis management units, became evident after this incident.
