Amsterdam sex shop robber a Belgian fugitive

The man standing trial for a series of robberies in Amsterdam in May, 21 year old Belgian Giovanni D., escaped from a Belgian prison shortly before committing the crimes. The Pubic Prosecutor demanded a 7 year prison sentence against him in the court in Amsterdam on Thursday, Het Parool reports. D. committed five robberies in six days in Amsterdam late in May. Using a pistol or a screwdriver, he robbed a subsidiary of the Coffee Company, a bar on the Wallen, a pancake restaurant, a sex shop and the souvenir shop in the Amsterdam Museum, never stealing more than a few hundred euros. His crime spree came to an end when an alert police officer recognized him on the street. Before heading to Amsterdam, D. escaped from the prison where he was serving a sentence for a previous robbery. He committed another two robberies in Belgium before leaving for the Netherlands. In court on Thursday D. admitted to committing "three or four" of the robberies, but "certainly not five", according to the newspaper. He stated that he needed the money for food and that he was always drunk or stoned. In a statement made to the police D. said that he used a 9 mm pistol, but removed the bullets as a precaution. To the court he stated that he only had a water pistol. D. told the court that he regrets his actions, but not his decision to make them. "If I caused mental problems for people I regret that, but other than that, I obviously do not know them." Psychologists believe that D. is suffering from a mental disorder, according to the newspaper. He can come across as friendly and cooperative, but also has a defective conscience and strong narcissistic traits.