Arnhem couple ran over armed robber in "panic", trying to get away: Lawyer
An Arnhem couple arrested last week for hitting an armed robber with a delivery van, killing him, ran the man over in a "panic" while trying to get away from him and his firearm, the lawyer representing the woman in the couple said to newspaper AD. "The image many people have of us is wrong", the 32-year-old woman said through her lawyer, Jori Schadd. We are the victims, not him."
The 32-year-old woman and her 34-year-old partner Albert K. were the victims of an attempted armed robbery in their home on Limburgsingel in Arnhem on Thursday night. K. posted his Rolex for sale on Marktplaats for 30 thousand euros. A 46-year-old man from Breda said he was interested in the watch and arranged to come buy it on Thursday night. The couple were having a barbecue with two friends when he arrived.
The couple's friend went to open the door. He saw that the man on the other side of the door had a gun and slammed the door in his face, Schadd told the newspaper. The robber fired a shot, shattering the glass in the door. The friend managed to get himself to safety. The robber entered the house, still firing his gun.
"The house is covered in bullet holes. That is why the detectives investigated inside for so long", lawyer Schadd said to AD. "That the robber wanted to violently take the watch can be seen in the cable ties he brought to tie up his victims."
The robber held K. at gunpoint. He took off his expensive Rolex, threw it at the robber and fled into the garden. "At that moment he had no idea whether his friend was dead or badly wounded at the front door, or if the same fate awaited him", the lawyer said. K.'s girlfriend, Schadd's client, called the emergency number the moment she heard the first shots. The other visitor huddled under a table in the garden while K. and his girlfriend climbed over the garden wall and ran down the road. They could hear shots in the garden, so they knew the robber was close behind them.
The couple waved down a Snackattack delivery van in a panic, screaming "robbery" at the driver. The terrified young delivery man got out and ran away. K. and his girlfriend did not hesitate for a second. They had to get away. So they got into the van.
"The camera footage and the panic on the recording clearly show what happened in and around the house." the lawyer said. "My client and her boyfriend did not go after the robber as suggested, but wanted to flee with the van, away from danger." The 32-year-old woman still had emergency services on the line. Seconds later she can be heard saying: "Shit, the children, the children!" She realized that her kids, age 2 and 4 years, were sleeping in the house. They did not know whether the robber was alone, whether he was in the house with the children.
K. reversed the van, heading back home to the kids. Suddenly they saw the robber standing straight ahead of them. He aimed his gun at the windshield of the van and started shooting. K. did not hesitate, he stepped on the gas and hit the robber with the van. He put the van in reverse and hit him again. At that point the police arrived.
Albert K. was remanded into custody by a magistrate on Monday afternoon. He is in restricted custody, only allowed contact with his lawyer. His girlfriend was released, but remains a suspect.
"The death of the robber is the result of self-defense. The couple is being treated as offenders. The woman can't even visit her boyfriend, too crazy for words", Schadd said to AD.
