Suspect Apprehended for Attempted Ram Raid at Toyota Dealership in Mechelen

Mechelen (Eurotoday): On December 2, a man on leave from prison was arrested for attempting a ram raid at a Toyota garage in Mechelen. He had previously committed similar crimes using stolen vehicles with fake plates.

Ram raids occurred in several areas by groups of one to three individuals who used a careful plan. According to Sabine Lievens from the Halle-Vilvoorde public prosecutor’s office, the thieves started using a stolen vehicle with fake license plates to avoid being caught. They drove the car into shop windows to break in and focused on stealing money and other valuables. After the theft, they escaped in the same vehicle. To remove any evidence like fingerprints or DNA, they emptied fire extinguishers inside the car before abandoning it in another location.

How did a prisoner commit ram raids during leave in Mechelen?

In some cases, the criminals improved their methods by stealing a new car during the raid. They often targeted a vehicle from the garage of the place they had just broken into and used it as their getaway car. By frequently changing cars and taking steps to cover their tracks, they made it very difficult for police to trace their movements or identify them. 

The federal police in Halle-Vilvoorde, along with local police from Rode and Ukkel, investigated a man who was already in prison for similar crimes but had regular leaves. They found out that he committed ram raids during these leaves. On December 2, while on leave, he was caught trying to break into a Toyota garage in Mechelen. He has now been arrested and taken to court.


Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

New Horned Bee Species Named ‘Lucifer’ Discovered

New Horned Bee Species Named ‘Lucifer’ Discovered

Insect Named After Netflix Series
A new species of small horned bee, dubbed ‘Lucifer,’ has been identified in a remote area of Australia. Discovered in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, approximately 300 miles east of Perth, this bee was reported by the Telegraph.
The distinctive horns are only present in females, potentially serving for protection or aiding in nectar and po

Read More

Ukraine reports 4 killed in major Russian attack on Kyiv

Ukraine reports 4 killed in major Russian attack on Kyiv

The attack, involving 430 drones and 18 ballistic missiles, began at midnight and lasted until early Friday morning, causing multiple fires around Kyiv.
“Russians are targeting residential buildings. Numerous high-rise buildings across Kyiv are damaged, in nearly every district,” stated Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv military administration.
Heating failed in two districts following the attack,

Read More

FENA Unveils Bosnia and Herzegovina’s First EU-Focused Media Portal

FENA Unveils Bosnia and Herzegovina’s First EU-Focused Media Portal

Sarajevo (Fena) – The Federal News Agency has launched the first media portal in Bosnia and Herzegovina dedicated to the EU. The website Eu.fena.ba aims to keep the public informed about Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU accession process and related topics, including EU institutions, regulations, internal organization, and the Union’s actions on a global scale.
-FENA is a public media organizati

Read More

Alderman Gisbrecht Huts Welcomes the Return of Tienen Winter Magic Festival

Alderman Gisbrecht Huts Welcomes the Return of Tienen Winter Magic Festival

Tienen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Tienen’s Winter Magic 2025 opens Nov 28, 2025, to Dec 31, 2025, with a Christmas market, ice rink, carousels, and workshops. Alderman Gisbrecht Huts leads the event, including Sinterklaas’ arrival and festive entertainment.
As VRT News reported, Tienen is hosting the Winter Magic festival. The event will include a Christmas market and an ice rink in the city

Read More

Solid Gold Toilet Auction Starts at $10 Million

Solid Gold Toilet Auction Starts at $10 Million

Italian avant-garde artist Maurizio Cattelan’s “America” toilet is a fully functional piece identical to the one that was famously stolen from Blenheim Palace in England in 2019.
Sotheby’s auction house announced in late October that it will auction a solid gold toilet by Cattelan, titled “America,” according to the AP.
The toilet is fully functional and matche

Read More

NATO Strengthens Presence in Romania as US Retreats

NATO Strengthens Presence in Romania as US Retreats

Military Mobility
The exercise aims to showcase NATO allies’ readiness to collaborate in reinforcing the eastern flank and to share insights from the Ukraine conflict.
Speed is crucial in addressing Russian aggression. In a significant deployment, France dispatched troops and military assets to Romania within NATO’s 10-day timeframe. By 2027, France is required by NATO to deploy a divi

Read More

Slovak MEPs Find EC Budget Concessions Insufficient

Slovak MEPs Find EC Budget Concessions Insufficient

Brussels – On Wednesday (November 12), President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen expressed a willingness to make concessions regarding the proposal for the EU’s long-term budget for 2028-2034 during a plenary session of the European Parliament (EP). Slovak MEPs from various political parties conveyed to TASR that these concessions fall short.
Lucia Yar (RE/PS) emphasized that

Read More

Primary School in Lapscheure ’t Nestje Closes Permanently

Primary School in Lapscheure ’t Nestje Closes Permanently

Lapscheure (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The only primary school in Lapscheure, ’t Nestje, will close permanently at the end of this school year with 21 pupils. Principal Sophie Van Hulle, Alderman Lut Fockedey, and Mayor Joachim Cons cite low enrolment, accessibility, and teacher shortages.
As VRT News reported, the only primary school in Lapscheure, near Damme, in the province of West Flander

Read More

In Sudan, Families Face Urgent Hunger Crisis

In Sudan, Families Face Urgent Hunger Crisis

During the regular briefing to journalists in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric provided an update. The conflict for power between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023 has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis.
“Unimaginable violence” in El Fasher
Recently, violence escalated after RSF captured El Fasher, North Darfur

Read More

The Climate Coalition Applauds EP’s Endorsement of 90% Emission Reduction in the EU by 2040

The Climate Coalition Applauds EP’s Endorsement of 90% Emission Reduction in the EU by 2040

Bratislava – The Climate Coalition, comprising 18 environmental organizations in Slovakia, has expressed support for the European Parliament’s proposal to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040 and urges the Slovak government to cease its opposition to unified European measures. This information was shared by Lucia Szabová from the Climate Coalition, according to TASR.
“As t

Read More