Suspect Released After Tunnel Dug to Rob Belgian Bank
A Belgian court released a 27-year-old Georgian suspect on Friday after he was arrested in connection with an investigation into a tunnel allegedly dug toward a BNP Paribas Fortis bank branch in Antwerp.
The man, identified as Koba M., was first arrested on Monday as federal police investigated the construction of an underground tunnel leading toward the bank. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office had until 5 p.m. to appeal the decision to release him.
His lawyer, Sahel Malik, said the investigating judge found there was not enough evidence to establish that his client had actually been involved in preparing the tunnel.
The lawyer also argued that his client’s rights had been affected by the extensive media coverage surrounding the case, and said the court had decided to release him without imposing conditions.
Other Suspects Remain Under Investigation
Federal Judicial Police in Antwerp continued to search for other people who may have been connected to Koba M. as part of the investigation into the attempted bank robbery.
Two other men had also been arrested in connection with the case, including Koba M.’s 45-year-old father, Kasper M., and his 28-year-old friend, Giorgi K.
The father was due to appear before the investigating judge on Friday, while Giorgi K. was scheduled to appear in court the following Tuesday.
The arrests came after investigators discovered an unusual underground route leading toward the bank’s safe deposit room in Antwerp.
Thieves Dug Through the Sewer System
The burglars had reportedly dug tunnels through the city’s sewer system in an attempt to reach the BNP Paribas Fortis safe deposit room. Investigators discovered that almost 30 safe deposit boxes had been broken into, with customers’ valuables inside.
The bank’s alarm eventually went off, alerting the security company and police, while the burglars managed to escape before officers arrived.
The unusual method used in the attempted robbery attracted major attention in Belgium because the criminals had apparently spent significant time creating an underground route through the sewer system before reaching the bank.
