Three people have been arrested on suspicion of carrying out a series of night-time burglaries targeting homes and vehicles on the outskirts of Brussels.
Police in the Wezembeek-Oppem/Kraainem zone arrested the three suspects during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday following a series of thefts around Avenue de l'Hippodrome, near the border between Wezembeek-Oppem and Sterrebeek.
Police first spotted a vehicle with an open door that appeared to have been searched.
While checking the surrounding area, they encountered a 27-year-old man behaving suspiciously, police commissioner Philippe Struelens told Belga.
The investigation found the man had allegedly hidden several objects in a nearby bush. Another search also uncovered items suspected of having been stolen during other offences.
Officers, assisted by police from neighbouring zones, then searched the area and arrested two other suspects nearby.
Initial findings suggest the three men were part of the same group and had been carrying out a coordinated series of night-time thefts in the neighbourhood, according to Struelens.
Police recovered much of the stolen property, including US passports, bottles of alcohol, gardening equipment, a racing bicycle and various personal belongings. Most of the items have since been returned to their owners.
Police said the three suspects were staying in Belgium without legal residence status.
They were referred to the Halle-Vilvoorde Public Prosecutor's Office, and an investigating judge subsequently issued arrest warrants for all three.
