Trucker in A1 heist was previously convicted of hard drug offenses

The truck driver involved in the December robbery on the A1 was previously convicted of a hard drug offense, the court in Lelystad learned Tuesday during the initial preparatory hearing. An unknown quantity of cocaine was taken in the heist. Harold van T., 49, is facing charges for possession of the drugs but denies any knowledge of their presence in his truck.

On December 18, Van T. was driving near Muiden toward Muiderberg around 11 a.m. when a car forced him onto the shoulder. The attackers held him at gunpoint, got into his truck, and then fled the scene in multiple vehicles.

After the robbery, the truck kept going. Van T. was arrested a few hours later on the N414 near Eemnes. One of the cars used in the drug theft was later found in Naarden. Both vehicles contained traces of cocaine, and a bullet casing with DNA was recovered, though the identity linked to the DNA has not been disclosed.

Van T. maintains that he is the victim of a robbery. “I am fully cooperating, I have nothing to hide, yet I’m here,” he said. He expressed concern about potentially losing his home and business and requested to await his trial out of custody. The court denied this request, and Van T. will remain in detention until the next hearing on June 17.

Van T.’s lawyer stated that his 2022 conviction concerned drugs discovered in a commercial property he rented in Apeldoorn. He currently has an appeal pending.

A 37-year-old man from Rotterdam was arrested in February for his role in the robbery. The week before, police had released dashcam footage of the incident. Investigations to locate additional suspects are ongoing.