Five years in prison demanded against gang leaders who stole e-bikes to order

Lex van Lieshout

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 20:48

Two men suspected of playing a major role in stealing expensive electric bicycles to order in the region of The Hague were sentenced to five years in prison today. A third suspect heard that he must go to prison for 2.5 years as far as the public prosecutor is concerned.

The men were the ringleaders of a gang that stole bicycles to order and then smuggled them to their native Poland. It concerned bicycles from the brands Gazelle, Batavus, Koga, Sparta and Jan Jansen. The frame numbers were replaced by false numbers. That happened in garage boxes and at a company of the 47-year-old main suspect Krzystof R. in Wateringen.

Continue after arrest

In 2017, the judiciary tracked down the Polish thieves gang and R. and his accomplice Arkadiusz M. were arrested. They were released on conditions, and picked up again after their release. They were arrested again in February 2021.

The public prosecutor believes that there is a criminal organization. “These three suspects have taken the trade in stolen bicycles to an international level.” Defendant M.’s lawyer, Otto Bondam, calls the claim against his client “heavy”. Based on previous sessions, he had expected a hefty sentence, but “so heavy, that is surprising.”

323.000 euro

In addition to these three suspects, several other suspects are on trial before the police judge. A police judge usually deals with the more simple cases that carry a relatively light sentence.

After a possible conviction, a confiscation case will also be started against the main suspect, the OM is claiming 323,000 euros from him.

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