Fake cops accused of robbing elderly sentenced to prison

Two men were sentenced to prison by the court in Arnhem on Thursday for robbing elderly people while pretending to be police officers, AD reports.

The first suspect, a 51 year old man from Renkum, was sentenced to five years in prison. The second, a 41 year old man with no fixed abode, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison. The Prosecutor demanded six years and five years and ten months respectively.

According to the prosecutor, the two neatly dressed men visited elderly people and pretended to be police officers. They told the residents that their homes were on a burglary list and asked them to show how their valuables were protected. Once money or jewelry appeared, they took it and ran off.

"The victims often worked and saved long for that money", the court said. "The jewelry had sentimental value to them. This way of doing is cowardly and low."

The penalties are lower than what the prosecutor demanded because the court only considered 19 of the 30 cases proven.