Three teenagers arrested for robbing children during Sint Maarten in Haarlem
Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with stealing candy from children during the Sint Maarten tradition on November 11. The suspects are all male, aged 18, 16, and 15, and are from Haarlem, where the incidents occurred.
The Sint Maarten tradition takes place annually on November 11, when children knock on doors and sing songs before receiving candy. Children craft lanterns from paper or other materials and carry them door to door in the evening. This year, six children reported to the police that they had been robbed by teenagers in skeleton masks near Laan van Angers and Engelandpark in Haarlem.
One child was taken to the hospital after being pushed to the ground during the theft, according to police. Victim support has been offered to the children involved.
Authorities investigated by reviewing security camera footage, interviewing witnesses, issuing Burgernet alerts, and conducting multiple neighborhood inquiries. Despite the arrests, police are still seeking additional eyewitnesses or camera footage of the incidents and have asked anyone with information to come forward.
Sint Maarten is an annual tradition celebrated on November 11 in regions of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany. The holiday is named after Saint Martin of Tours, a fourth-century Christian saint famous for sharing his cloak with a poor man to shield him from the cold.
In many neighborhoods, parents now join their children during the festivities to keep them safe and make sure they are not out alone after dark. Neighborhood associations and schools sometimes also organize activities such as lantern parades or music workshops to keep the celebration safe and positive, with an emphasis on singing together and sharing.
