Kids, 13 & 16, arrested for attempted armed robbery at petting zoo
The police arrested two boys, aged 13 and 16, on Monday for an attempted armed robbery at the petting zoo in the Gijsbert van Andelpark in Gorinchem. The Gorinchem Nature Center was open as usual on Tuesday. “This is a meeting place for the neighborhood; that’s what we stand for,” director José Wienese told Rijnmond. They won’t let two naughty children stand in the way of that.
The two boys, both wearing balaclavas and one carrying what appeared to be a firearm, entered the Gorinchem Nature Center on Monday afternoon. The petting zoo is closed on Mondays, but four staff members, including Wienese, were on site doing admin and caring for the animals.
According to Wienese, they heard something from the cafeteria and thought a peacock had gotten in again. Two staff members went to look and quickly shouted that they saw someone with a balaclava. Wienese and the other colleague quickly ran after them. That’s when one of the robbers pulled a gun.
“He pointed the gun at one of my colleagues and pulled the trigger. No bullet came out. Maybe it was a fake gun,” Wienese said. That did not make the threat feel any less intense. “Your head does not want to believe that a gun has been pulled. As if you are watching a movie.”
Wienese had already called the emergency number 1-1-2, and the call center worker instructed them to let the robbers go. The police were on their way. “One colleague wanted to pursue him further, but I pulled him back because he did have a firearm,” Wienese said.
The police caught the 16-year-old right outside the petting zoo. The younger boy managed to get away. But a community police officer saw a photo of the boy and immediately knew who he was. The police arrested him a short time later.
The petting zoo staff discussed the events on Tuesday morning. “What it does to you, how you slept, it has an impact on everyone who works here,” the director said. The police offered them Victim Support. “And we will definitely make use of that.”
