A court in Hasselt, Belgium, sentenced a 27-year-old woman from Zaventem and a 39-year-old woman from Jette to 24 and 30 months in prison for robbing a hospitalised man.
The two women stole nearly €40,000 using the victim’s bank card. The younger woman received a suspended sentence, while the older one received a firm prison term.
The incident occurred in November 2023 when the women stole the bank card from a 65-year-old Hasselt man and spent €39,625 in luxury stores in Brussels.
They also stole cosmetics worth €2,550 from shops in Hasselt and Dendermonde, East Flanders. They were identified through CCTV footage despite attempts to disguise themselves with scarves and hoods and were subsequently arrested.
The 39-year-old woman had a previous conviction in April 2023, receiving six years for theft and computer fraud. On Wednesday, she was sentenced to 30 months and fined €4,000.
The younger woman was sentenced to 24 months, but only the duration of her preventive detention was effective, alongside an €800 fine. More than €14,000 was confiscated from her.
The victim was awarded €46,000 in compensation.
