Escaped prisoner Nabil S., suspected of explosive robberies, arrested in Utrecht
A 32-year-old man who escaped from the Diakonessenhuis in Utrecht on Friday was arrested later that evening. The man, identified as Nabil S., is a known figure in the Netherlands’ explosive robbery circuit, according to De Telegraaf.
Authorities say Nabil S. was previously linked to a series of explosive and ram raids in 2013 in Beuningen, Eindhoven on Kruisstraat, and Gorinchem. Many of these incidents involved explosives. He is also suspected of cocaine possession, although it is unclear whether he has ever been convicted of any of these crimes.
At the time of his escape, Nabil S. was detained at the Penitentiaire Inrichting Nieuwegein. His attorney, Wouter Hendrickx, said he was informed by police Friday afternoon, after the escape had already attracted significant media attention.
Hendrickx described his client’s actions as impulsive. “It was a spontaneous — and rather clumsy — action by my client. He saw a door open, and at that moment, his security was not properly in place. He then, on a whim, took the opportunity presented to him. He didn’t think about it long. And that he then ends up in a struggle and grabs a weapon, that is impulsivity,” Hendrickx said.
An eyewitness filmed the arrest, capturing the moment Nabil S. was taken back into custody. Police confirmed he had fled with a firearm during the escape, which heightened the urgency of the response.
