Two Sint-Truiden Men Arrested in Auto Theft Probe

Sint-Truiden (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Two men from Sint-Truiden have been arrested as part of an investigation into the alleged theft of several vehicles, tools and multimedia equipment, Limburg prosecutors confirmed on Saturday.

Two suspects, ages 42 and 50 years old, have been arrested as a result of an investigation carried out by the police at a residence on Luikersteenweg in Sint-Truiden. It has emerged that some items which investigators believe to have been stolen were discovered, prompting an investigation into the possibility that the residents were behind several thefts in both property and vehicles. The Limburg Public Prosecutor’s Office has since confirmed that arrests were made although their exact role was not clear.

“Two people were arrested. Further investigation will have to determine whether they were involved,”

prosecutor’s spokeswoman Marijke Teunis said.

This is clearly an indication of the provisional nature of the case. First of all, the two men are suspects rather than offenders, and the investigators need to prove that the items retrieved were indeed stolen and to determine their ownership in relation to specific burglaries and car thefts.

How did police uncover the suspected theft operation?

The case started when there was an alarm of burglary in the town of Sint-Truiden. It is noted that the police managed to collect information indicating that people living in the house on Luikersteenweg had objects linked with some criminal activities. According to the police, during the searching of the house, several objects were found, which were supposed to be stolen. The case includes cars, as well as tools and multimedia equipment. 

However, the number of the cars allegedly stolen is not revealed yet. Besides, it is not known whether all the objects were stolen in one particular robbery. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has not released the details of the cars as well as their worth and the place where they were robbed.

Investigators are expected to compare the recovered goods with reports filed by victims in Sint-Truiden and surrounding areas. They may also examine police records, surveillance-camera footage, mobile-phone data and other forensic evidence to establish how the property was obtained and whether more people were involved.

What is known about the two suspects?

Both the accused are natives of Sint-Truiden and aged 42 and 50 years respectively. Their names have not been disclosed to the media. The prosecutor’s office has not specified whether the individuals have been formally charged, have been issued arrest warrants, or have appeared before an investigative judge. It is also not known if the suspects are still in custody or have been released. 

There have been no announcements regarding any other arrests. Whether the crimes that have been allegedly committed by the individuals were related to organized stealing or were committed by the suspects individually has also not been stated by the authorities. The investigators will have to find out whether the men were directly involved in the crime, helped in transportation or storage of the stolen goods, or were simply aware of the stolen goods in their possession.

Have similar thefts occurred in Sint-Truiden before?

These arrests follow a string of thefts that have occurred in Sint-Truiden and the surrounding Haspengouw area. In April 2024, the police in the area of Sint-Truiden–Gingelom–Nieuwerkerken conducted an investigation into a string of thefts of