Suspect wanted for fatal street robbery in Kerkrade arrested in Bulgaria

The police in Bulgaria arrested a man suspected of involvement in a street robbery that left one person dead in Kerkrade last June. A second suspect is still being sought. The victim, 33-year-old Fabian Esser from Zülpich, Germany, was killed during the incident on Wiebachstraat.

The two suspects had an appointment to make a transaction with the German man. When they saw an opportunity, they snatched a suitcase full of money from the victim's hands and jumped into their car. Esser chased after them, grabbing the car, but the vehicle drove over him. He died as a result of his injuries. The suspects drove off and have been missing ever since.

The two suspects previously committed similar robberies, according to the Public Prosecution Service (OM). "They pose as businessmen from a Luxembourg investment company who are interested in real estate and luxury goods that are offered on the internet. The predominately German victims are lured to the south of Limburg, often after talking about exchanging large sums in cash."

When they meet each other, the victims are robbed of their money. "The suspects may be part of a larger (international) network that deals in these types of criminal offenses," said the OM.

The suspect was already arrested in Bulgaria on 24 October, but the OM only announced it on Friday. He is a resident of Belgium, "around 50 years old who uses different ages, names and places of birth." His pre-trial detention was extended by fourteen days on Friday. He is suspected of qualified manslaughter and robbery with violence.

According to the Dutch court system qualified manslaughter can be defined as someone killing another to cover up a criminal offense. "For example, if a burglar is caught by the resident. And immediately afterwards he kills that resident to hide the fact that he broke in," the judicial system said on its website.

The OM offered a reward of 15,000 euros for the tip leading investigators to solve this case. "That reward still applies to the second suspect," said the OM.