Well-known criminal's farm goes up in flames

A fire broke out in a thatched farmhouse in Zwaag last night. The farmhouse belongs to top criminal Nico V. Neighbors had to be evacuated as a precaution because of the smoke. They were collected in a local cafe and eventually had to spend the night elsewhere.

The fire broke out at around 20:00 last night. No one was at home when the fire started. The fire department worked until after midnight to extinguish the fire. A lot of soot particles were released during the fire, but measurements determined that there are no harmful substances in the air. No one was injured. The cause of the fire is still unknown. According to RTV Noord-Holland, the farm has been for sale for some time. De Telegraaf reports that the property must now be considered lost. Two of V.'s friends with whom he has children were living in the farmhouse, but they were not present. Nico V. is a well known criminal in the Amsterdam underworld. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a murder in a cafe in Hoorn in 2002. V. was good friends with the criminal Sam Klepper, who was murdered in 2000. For years Justice tried to prosecute Nico V. for the failed attack on Cor van Hout in 2000, but although there was a lot of evidence that V. was involved, the case was eventually dismissed.