Plastic-Wrapped Body Discovered in Brecht Canal Near Kleistraat

Kleistraat – A body was discovered in a canal in Brecht near Kleistraat, wrapped in plastic foil. The identity of the deceased person has not yet been established. Authorities have launched a murder investigation, and the public prosecutor has called for the appointment of a judge to oversee the case.

The body, found encased in plastic, was located in a canal depression beyond Kleistraat. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office has formally requested an investigating judge to treat the case as a potential homicide. Investigators are focusing on identifying the victim, which is crucial before proceeding with an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

The grisly discovery was made by a local resident during a midday walk through the meadows near Kleistraat. They promptly alerted law enforcement authorities, who responded to the scene.

Later that afternoon, forensic specialists, detectives, and staff from the public prosecutor’s office arrived on-site to begin the preliminary investigation. Police are currently working to confirm both the identity of the victim and the full circumstances of the death. A medical examination is underway to provide further details about the cause and timing of death, in addition to verifying the individual’s identity.

How frequent are homicides and body discoveries in Antwerp?

Data from the Belgian federal police indicates that the Antwerp Province has recorded between 30 and 40 homicides annually over the past ten years. The Antwerp judicial district alone accounts for 15 to 20% of all homicide cases in Belgium each year.

Between 2018 and 2022, at least five bodies were recovered from waterways or remote rural areas, with two such cases involving concealment methods similar to the one used in the Brecht case. According to police statistics, homicide cases in Belgium are resolved at a rate of approximately 65% annually. However, investigations into unidentified bodies often take significantly more time, owing to the complexity of forensic analysis required.

Organised crime has seen a notable uptick in Antwerp, with the most recent federal statistics indicating that such crimes were linked to around 30% of the region’s homicide cases in 2022.

The National Institute of Criminology has reported that 12% of bodies found concealed in Belgium since 2010 were discovered in either waterways or isolated natural areas, underlining the complexity and seriousness of such cases.

Typically, victim identification and autopsy procedures take between 48 and 72 hours for urgent cases. However, the process can take longer when dental records or DNA matching are required. Since 2020, the Antwerp prosecutor’s office has dealt with three comparable cases, all of which turned out to be instances of murder. Two suspects have been apprehended so far in connection to those investigations.

Belgian law enforcement emphasizes its collaboration with Interpol and other EU databases to identify unidentified victims, a process that contributes to solving approximately 8% of the country’s annual homicide cases.