Forty-year-old man from Nivelles sentenced to 175 hours of community work for pickpocketing offences
A forty-year-old man, already convicted 17 times, was tried in Nivelles for three thefts. He was acquitted of the theft of a van but convicted and sentenced to 175 hours of community work for two pickpocketing offences committed against women.
Forty-year-old man from Nivelles sentenced to 175 hours of community work for pickpocketing offences
A forty-year-old man residing in Nivelles was tried for three thefts by the local magistrate's court. He was found guilty of two of them and received a sentence of 175 hours of community work, along with a fine of 2,000 euros. For the third matter, the misappropriation of a commercial vehicle, he was acquitted.
The accused, who already has 17 convictions on his criminal record, committed the two pickpocketing offences in August and September 2025. The first time, he followed an elderly woman through the town's streets to steal her wallet. A few weeks later, he struck on the car park of a hypermarket, taking advantage of a moment when a woman was loading her shopping into her car to steal her bag. The latter was found in a bin, emptied of its contents.
Before the court, the defendant admitted to these two facts. "I don't remember it but the police told me there were images," he stated, adding that he was going through a difficult period at the time marked by dependencies on alcohol and medication. He apologised to the victims and requested a final chance, according to La Dernière Heure.
Regarding the theft of a van belonging to a food aid association in Genappe where he was employed under an article 60 arrangement, the man flatly denied it. That day, he had not come to work, citing a wrist injury. Nevertheless, he had presented himself in front of the organisation's premises late in the afternoon and his bicycle had been left there. The van disappeared shortly after, hit a car, and was subsequently abandoned. Witnesses provided a physical description matching that of the suspect, who had been spotted in the vicinity by a patrol.
His lawyer contested this charge, arguing that the bicycle had been left on the premises the previous day because of his client's wrist injury. "There is no serious evidence to accuse Mr of the theft of this vehicle," he pleaded, as reported by La Dernière Heure.
The prosecution had sought 18 months of custodial imprisonment, highlighting the defendant's substantial criminal record. The judges ultimately favoured a community work measure.
Source: DHnet