Belgian Police round up East European gang

http://www.flandersnews.be/cm/flande...s/070329_gangs

Police round up East European gang

Thu 29/03/07 - Federal police raided houses at more than 40 locations
across Belgium yesterday as part of a large-scale operation against
thieving gangs. 69 people were arrested, most of them Romanians, as a
whole gang was rounded up.
Some 400 policemen took part in the operation, raiding houses in
Antwerp, Bruges, Dendermonde (East Flanders) and Charleroi (Hainaut
province).

They received the support of members of the special Intervention Unit.
One helicopter was used.

Federal police had been preparing the operation for several weeks. 69
suspects were arrested, most of them Romanians without a residence
permit.

Inspectors got on the right track after a car was stolen in
Oostduinkerke (West Flanders). The whole gang could be rounded up
thanks to the excellent cooperation between police and judiciary.

Three gang leaders remain in custody, while 14 others will have to
appear before the examining magistrate.
Congratulations form the PM
The gang was well-organised and had performed at least 140 burglaries.
The members were specialised in breaking into houses and were also
involved in skimming, a type of fraud where credit card information is
stolen and copied.

During the house searches, police found a lot of stolen goods,
including jewellery, cars, mobile phones, expensive clothes and large
sums of cash.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (Flemish liberal) congratulated the
inspectors that had taken part in the operation.

"This operation proves that they are determined to tackle the
persistent problem of mobile gangs."

The government had announced an action plan against mobile thieving
gangs only last week.

"This success proves that cooperation between the police and the
justice departments is going smoothly."
Night and call shops also targeted
Last night, police also staged a large-scale operation to check on
call and night shops.

113 shops were raided across Belgium, including the Brussels region;
Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem in West Flanders, Antwerp and Liège.

The operation was part of the so-called Tam Tam action plan and was
the 9th in its kind.

24 were arrested, 6 shops were closed. Most shops were found flouting
tax and social regulations.

"ocelot" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
http://www.flandersnews.be/cm/flande...s/070329_gangs

Police round up East European gang

Thu 29/03/07 - Federal police raided houses at more than 40 locations
across Belgium yesterday as part of a large-scale operation against
thieving gangs. 69 people were arrested, most of them Romanians, as a
whole gang was rounded up.
Some 400 policemen took part in the operation, raiding houses in
Antwerp, Bruges, Dendermonde (East Flanders) and Charleroi (Hainaut
province).

They received the support of members of the special Intervention Unit.
One helicopter was used.

Federal police had been preparing the operation for several weeks. 69
suspects were arrested, most of them Romanians without a residence
permit.

Inspectors got on the right track after a car was stolen in
Oostduinkerke (West Flanders). The whole gang could be rounded up
thanks to the excellent cooperation between police and judiciary.

Three gang leaders remain in custody, while 14 others will have to
appear before the examining magistrate.
Congratulations form the PM
The gang was well-organised and had performed at least 140 burglaries.
The members were specialised in breaking into houses and were also
involved in skimming, a type of fraud where credit card information is
stolen and copied.

During the house searches, police found a lot of stolen goods,
including jewellery, cars, mobile phones, expensive clothes and large
sums of cash.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (Flemish liberal) congratulated the
inspectors that had taken part in the operation.

"This operation proves that they are determined to tackle the
persistent problem of mobile gangs."

The government had announced an action plan against mobile thieving
gangs only last week.

"This success proves that cooperation between the police and the
justice departments is going smoothly."
Night and call shops also targeted
Last night, police also staged a large-scale operation to check on
call and night shops.

113 shops were raided across Belgium, including the Brussels region;
Kortrijk, Menen and Waregem in West Flanders, Antwerp and Liège.

The operation was part of the so-called Tam Tam action plan and was
the 9th in its kind.

24 were arrested, 6 shops were closed. Most shops were found flouting
tax and social regulations.