Attacks on Polish supermarkets coordinated action, police believe

The police assume that four attacks on three Polish supermarkets in the Netherlands were a coordinated action, they said on Opsporing Verzocht on Tuesday. Investigators are looking for witnesses and anyone who may have video footage or photos of the explosions.

Improvised explosives were set off at Biedronka supermarkets on Ophelialaan in Aalsmeer on December 8, on Plein 1969 in Heeswijk-Dinther also on December 8, and at twice at the supermarket in shopping center Beverhof in Beverwijk on December 9 and December 12.

According to the police, the explosives used were comparable to ones used in a number of ATM bombings.

The blasts damaged the supermarkets, and in Aalsmeer also surrounding buildings and a nearby car. The municipality of Aalsmeer decided to keep the supermarket closed for the time being, in the interest of the neighborhood's safety.

Biedronka is one of the biggest supermarket chains in Poland, but the Dutch branches are not connected to the Polish chain.

The motive behind the attacks is not yet clear. A number of owners and former owners of Polish stores in the Netherlands told broadcaster NOS that there is fierce competition in the sector. They see new entrepreneurs starting large stores out of nowhere, often locating them next to existing stores to push them out of the market, they said to the broadcaster, asking to remain anonymous.