Third getaway car used by shopping mall shooter found; €30,000 reward offered
Article updated to remove suspect's surname after his arrest
Police seized a third vehicle used by Minh Nghia V. after he shot two women in the parking lot of a shopping center in Zwijndrecht, authorities said on Wednesday. The shooting on Saturday critically injured V.'s ex-girlfriend, and left her 66-year-old mother dead at the scene. The man is still on the run, police released a new photo of him, and announced a reward for information leading to his capture.
V. drove off from the shooting in a car that was recovered later that night. He was then believed to have switched to a Skoda Octavia, which was found in Rotterdam. The third vehicle, a black Seat Ibiza, was found on Dolphijnstraat in Hoek van Holland on Tuesday night.
One of V.'s acquaintances lives in the area, police said, and that home was raided and searched. V., who is suspected of murder and attempted murder, was not found.
V. was said to be a career criminal with a record stretching back about 20 years. His nickname is "Lucky" because he was able to successfully evade police capture in the past. He frequently switches burner phones, only meets people in busy public places, and uses stolen cars to get between locations, a source told AD.
During a broadcast of Opsporing Verzocht on Tuesday, police announced a 30,000 euro reward for anyone with information leading to V.'s arrest. "It is suspected that Minh is trying to contact people in his network in order to provide things such as shelter, food and means to stay out of sight of the police," police said.
"We are appealing to these people to report to the police. This can also be done completely anonymously," police said in a statement. Additionally, the police said the help of the general public is "immensely valuable." Authorities want to hear from anyone who may have seen the man or the Seat Ibiza in the Hoek van Holland region, and any vehicles he may have gotten into afterwards.
V. is considered dangerous, and possibly armed. His criminal record includes several violent crimes, armed robberies, thefts, and drug offenses. He was convicted for taking part in the violent robbery of a cash transporter at a Zoetermeer shopping center in 2015 when robbers made off with 260,000 euros in cash. He was simultaneously convicted of another attempted robbery of a money courier.
The court sentenced the man in June 2017 to seven years in prison, including time served in pre-trial detention.
