‘Stupid’ thieves ram EU barricade

15 December 2003

BRUSSELS – Police have described two criminals as “the most stupid thieves in the country” after they stole a woman’s purse in Brussels Saturday morning and drove their getaway car through security barriers protecting the European quarter during the weekend’s Euro summit.

Several hundred police officers were on duty in the European quarter over the weekend as European leaders met to discuss the future of the European Constitution.

The event, and the high security surrounding it, seemed to have eluded the attention of the two thieves however, who rammed through barriers before being shot at by several police officers.

The police reaction to the getaway car was especially robust, fearing a terrorist attack in the EU area.

The duo managed to escape the area back through the broken barrier, but were later found in a nearby accident and emergency department where they had gone for treatment.

A Commission spokesman later said the two men would probably have got away with the crime, if only they had paid attention to the news and fled in the other direction.

[Copyright Expatica News 2003]

Subject: Belgian news