A man is facing fifteen months in prison for his ninth conviction for bicycle theft in the province of Flemish Brabant, which surrounds Brussels.
On Thursday, the Halle-Vilvoorde Public Prosecutor's Office demanded a fifteen-month prison sentence for a man who allegedly stole a bicycle in Vilvoorde in November 2024.
The man had already been convicted eight times for theft, and his last conviction was just a few weeks before the incident. The man, however, denies the charges, claiming he had bought it for €60.
It was the local police of Vilvoorde-Machelen who noticed the man on 27 November near Vilvoorde station, riding a bicycle whose handlebars and saddle height were clearly not adjusted to him. The police have assumed that the bicycle belonged to a woman.
Officers reviewed security camera footage from the station's bicycle parking area, which allegedly showed the man attempting to pry several bikes loose before leaving with a bicycle.
The man has been previously convicted eight times for theft, with his most recent conviction dating back to October 2024, just weeks before the supposed incident, said the Prosecutor's Office.
Defendant's lawyer argued that his client is innocent. "No one has ever reported to the police that the bicycle was theirs and that it had been stolen. So there is some doubt about the theft. If the court does find my client guilty, we request a suspended sentence," the lawyer said.
He also noted that a man has struggled with a lasting drug problem but has since overcome it, and has the prospect of a permanent job.
Prosecution demanded a prison sentence of fifteen months, citing the man's history of convictions.
A verdict is expected on 2 April.
