He won €20,000… then was violently attacked
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5 Dec 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes A few hours earlier, a Dutch casino had awarded him a substantial win. But on his way home, his moment of joy turned into a nightmare. Chased to his parents’ house in Steenokkerzeel, the man was violently assaulted by three individuals. This robbery, whose brutality deeply affected the victim, has just seen its first legal outcome: the perpetrators, who have been identified but are still at large, have been sentenced in absentia to three years in prison.
A return from the casino that turns into an ordeal
It was supposed to be a simple day of relaxation, a trip to the Netherlands to do some shopping and visit the casino. On 27 March, a man from Steenokkerzeel ended his evening at the casino, where luck brought him an unexpected win: more than twenty thousand euros. It was a moment of fragile joy, cut short before it could even be celebrated.
As he set off on his journey home, he was unaware that he had attracted the attention of three individuals. Their presence remained discreet but determined. The journey back to his family home, which he thought would be uneventful, became the start of a methodical pursuit.
The three men, whose identities would later be confirmed by investigators, gave nothing away during the surveillance. They followed the victim to Steenokkerzeel, a route monitored remotely by ANPR cameras that recorded vehicle number plates and movements. These images would later become key to the investigation.
When the man finally arrived near his parents’ home, he thought he could relax. That’s when the trap closed. The three individuals appeared, determined to leave with all of his newly won fortune… and more.
An attack of rare violence
The attack is brutal, unexpected, and leaves little room for defence. The attackers’ objective is clear: to take everything she has. They finally flee with around €25,000 in cash and the new clothes bought earlier that day. This is more than the initial winnings, a sign that the criminals left nothing behind.
The man is deeply scarred by what he has been through. Even today, the victim is still trying to rebuild his life, aided by medication to ease his anxiety. The attack did not just cost him money: it robbed him of a sense of security, a confidence in his daily routine that will take time to regain.
The investigation: from cameras to revealed identities
Investigators had one key piece of evidence: ANPR cameras installed along the route between the Netherlands and Belgium. These devices, which are increasingly used in criminal investigations, analyse vehicle traffic and identify suspects using their number plates.
On Tuesday, the Brussels Criminal Court finally handed down its judgement. The three suspects, who were never arrested, were sentenced in absentia to three years in prison. It was a strong decision, but a symbolic one as long as the convicted men remain at large.
The story of this man, a simple lucky gambler who became a target, highlights the fragility of certain moments in life. An ordinary day can be turned upside down in a matter of minutes. Despite the conviction, the attackers remain at large. Justice has been served, but the victim is still waiting to be able to turn the page.