Two young men admitted in a Brussels Criminal Court on Monday that they had carried out a violent theft in the area around Brussels-North station after initially denying the offence.
The robbery took place on 17 January at about 23:45 in Rue d'Aarschott, in the capital’s Northern Quarter.
According to prosecutors, the pair approached a man and attacked him together. While one suspect held the victim by the arms, the other tore a chain from his neck.
The incident was captured by police surveillance cameras, the prosecution said. Officers at the police station immediately alerted a patrol, which intercepted the two suspects shortly afterwards.
Police found the stolen chain still in their possession when they were stopped.
Despite this, both men denied the theft during police questioning. The suspect carrying the chain claimed it belonged to him and said he had only been in the area looking for work.
The second suspect claimed he was underage, but a bone scan later showed that was not the case.
Prosecutors asked the court to sentence both men to 14 months in prison.
Speaking through their lawyers, the two defendants admitted the facts at Monday’s hearing. Their defence said both men had no previous convictions and had already been in pre-trial detention since January.
The court is due to deliver its verdict on 15 July.
