The Hasselt criminal court on Monday sentenced five members of an organisation dubbed the “hockey stick gang”, responsible for several burglaries, to a total of 51 years in prison.
A 28-year-old man from Antwerp was sentenced to 11 years in prison. His 19-year-old brother-in-law and two other men, aged 22 and 30, were sentenced to 10, 12 and 12 years respectively. The last defendant, aged 19, was sentenced to six years imprisonment.
The five men faced 18 charges, including robbery with violence, burglary, receiving stolen goods and participation in a criminal organisation. The thefts and burglaries had been committed in August and September 2022. The group’s nickname comes from the use of hockey sticks, sometimes used to hit their victims. Their loot consisted mainly of money and jewellery.
