Mechelen police tackle elderly fraud and youth store break‑ins

Belgian police arrested three men aged 20, 22 and 24 after a sophisticated telephone‑fraud scheme targeted an 81‑year‑old woman in Mechelen. The victims lost thousands of euros and valuable items; police recovered over €3,000 in cash, laptops, phones and card‑reading devices during searches in Mechelen and Londerzeel. The fraudsters impersonated a police officer, obtained the victim’s bank card, phone and jewellery, and transferred money to a foreign account. Authorities warned that genuine officers never collect money or valuables at a private residence.

In a separate case, two young men were found guilty of two "ramkraken" burglaries at mobile‑phone shops in Mechelen and Brugge. The December 2023 break‑ins resulted in the theft of dozens of phones and €15,000 worth of equipment in Brugge. The Mechelen court sentenced the offenders to suspended prison terms of 22 months and 10 months respectively, after they acknowledged the crimes.