Francesco Vanderjeugd did not become a civil party in the case. The photo of the watch is a theme image. — © Stefaan Beel, Shutterstock
Ostend/Staden –
In an Ostend café, two men came to dance around Francesco Vanderjeugd (Open VLD). The men tried in vain to steal the watch from the mayor of Staden. Now they each risk eighteen months in prison.
Arne Franck and Levi Verbauwhede
Today at 6:17 PM
On the night of September 8 to 9 last year, Francesco Vanderjeugd was present in Café Copador in Ostend’s Langestraat. Open VLD held its annual faction days in the city during that period. At one point, two men came to dance close to the 36-year-old mayor of Staden. It turned out to be a diversionary maneuver, because the next moment the duo grabbed Vanderjeugd’s left arm in an attempt to steal his watch.
The theft failed, after which Moroccan Mohammed A. (19) and Algerian Yassin B. took the plunge. Around two o’clock Vanderjeugd himself approached a police patrol in the Langestraat. He told what happened to him and the facts were clearly visible on camera images in the cafe. The city cameras showed how the perpetrators approached two companions on the street.
Organized gang of thieves
The public prosecutor’s office suspects that the defendants are part of an organized gang of thieves. “When they were arrested, they had necklaces with damaged clasps,” the prosecutor explained. “They had clearly ripped it off. And on their cell phones were photos of necklaces and expensive watches. Under varying identities, they have already come into contact with the law in several European countries.”
The defense explained that both men are staying illegally in Belgium. “My client stole to survive,” pleaded Fabienne Desmet, A’s lawyer. “He regrets the facts.” The lawyer asked to limit the effective part of the prison sentence to pre-trial detention, which now lasts seven months. Jorn Vermick, B.’s lawyer, also asked to consider pre-trial detention as sufficient. B. has already received seven convictions in France.
“Emotional value”
Francesco Vanderjeugd did not become a civil party in the case. He was also not present in court. Yet the incident leaves its mark. “I gave myself that watch as a gift for my thirtieth birthday, it does have emotional value. It would be a shame if I lost it.”
“We were having fun when two men suddenly showed up,” he says. “They started pushing and it looked like they were dancing. But that was just a distraction.”
“In the meantime, they had already pulled off the clasp of my watch. It went very quickly. When I realized, my watch was almost over my wrist. I pushed them away and then approached the police on the street. He stopped the two men. Then they found all kinds of stolen items in their backpack. Apparently they had already stolen several things.”
The verdict will be announced on May 16.