Irish man, 35, accused of coercing child to partner up in Dutch shoplifting scheme
The police arrested a man in the Zeeland town of Hoek on Tuesday evening on suspicion of child exploitation. The 35-year-old man allegedly used children to commit shoplifting in several places in the Netherlands. According to Omroep Zeeland, the suspect is from Ireland and belongs to a gang there.
The man was arrested based on tips received after the police discussed the case on Opsporing Verzocht. The program showed footage of the man entering a drugstore in Gorssel with a boy of about 10. The boy takes a bag from the shelf and, upon the man’s instruction, holds it open while the man puts items into it. A short time later, the man blocks the staff’s view of the exit while the boy leaves with the bag.
According to the police, the same man is also suspected of shoplifting with the same child in Apeldoorn, Doetinchem, Putten, Dieren, and Eden. The last reports about the man came from Zeeland, where he allegedly shoplifted with another child.
The police knew the man’s identity but not his whereabouts. The tips helped investigators track him down.
The man is in custody for further investigation. He is suspected of criminal exploitation of children, which is a form of human trafficking.
The police thanked the people who called in. “Your information has brought insight into the suspect and the children, and with his arrest, we can get the children out of this situation,” the police said.
