The man has psychiatric issues and is known to the STIB/MIVB security service and the police.
Brussels commuters have become used to seeing an unusual sight in several metro stations: vending machines overflowing with rubbish, playing cards, clothing, and even cooked spaghetti.
What some passers-by mistakenly take for street art is actually repeated vandalism, according to the city’s public transport operator STIB/MIVB.
"The perpetrator has already been arrested several times, but he is discharged shortly after," said Guy Sablon, spokesperson for STIB/MIVB to Bruzz."He is known to our security services and the police. He has also been committed to a psychiatric hospital, but after a few days, he is discharged, and the behaviour resumes."
The incidents have been happening for about a year at at least three metro stations, including Saint-Catherine and Montgomery. The man is reported to walk through the stations carrying several bags of rubbish, which he then stuffs into the machines.
The operator of the vending machines has filed a formal complaint. Each case requires a cleanup operation, resulting in lost revenue, according to STIB/MIVB.
Interpretations
On social media, the incidents have prompted speculation and commentary. One Reddit user described witnessing a man who appeared "in love" with a vending machine at Montgomery station, speaking to it and filling it with items from a bag.
Others suggested he may be attempting to break into the machines to access food, with one claiming to have seen someone try to burn a dispenser from the inside.
Vending machine filled with trash at Saint-Catherine metro station. Credit : The Brussels Times / Dylan Carter
Some users voiced frustration that "the government doesn’t do anything about these homeless people", while others took a more ironic view, comparing the overflowing machines to conceptual art. One commenter joked that Brussels should treat the phenomenon like a Banksy-style installation: "Sell it for a couple of million... it would pay for the city’s debt."
The transport company confirmed the actions are linked to psychiatric problems."The behaviour is disruptive, costly and a burden for commuters and staff alike,” said Sablon. “We are working with the authorities to find a longer-term solution."
