Police in the Begijnendijk, Rotselaar, and Tremelo (BRT) zone in Flemish Brabant have arrested three suspects who impersonated officers to scam and rob people.
The trio struck three times in Rotselaar and Tremelo before being apprehended in Antwerp.
Two adult suspects have been detained by the investigating judge, while a juvenile judge ordered the third, a minor, to be placed in a secure facility, according to the Leuven Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The three orchestrated their scams in early June, operating in a similar manner each time. Victims received phone calls warning them of a fugitive suspect in their area and were told that an undercover officer would visit them as they were potential targets. The bogus officers then asked them to gather their valuables for inspection. While distracting the victims, sometimes by checking for signs of burglary at the back door, they seized the opportunity to escape with the loot.
“A vigilant citizen and collaboration between the BRT, Heist, and Antwerp police zones, along with the federal police, enabled the identification of the suspects’ vehicle and led to the arrest of the occupants in Antwerp,” the Leuven Public Prosecutor’s Office reported.
“The individuals involved were two adult Dutchmen and a minor Belgian girl,” the office added.” The two Dutchmen, aged 18 and 24, were taken before the investigating judge, who confirmed and extended their detention by one month.”
The minor was presented to a juvenile judge, who decided to place her in a secure facility.
