u/Beflijster

The investigation into the gang of thieves who violently robbed visitors of Tomorrowland of luxury watches last summer has been closed without any results. No suspects could be identified. One of the victims was Dries Deferm, mayor of the Limburg municipality of Nieuwerkerken.

“I was unfortunately the victim of senseless violence on Sunday evening,” Deferm wrote on Facebook last summer, after a visit to Tomorrowland. "On the way back, on foot, two friends and I were attacked and robbed for no reason. I was repeatedly beaten, became unconscious and had to go to the hospital for treatment. There I was sewn in several places. It was also determined that a vertebra in my neck was cracked."

Expensive Rolexes

In addition to the mayor of Nieuwerkerken, at least seven other festival goers were violently robbed. The perpetrators targeted luxury watches. They targeted visitors with expensive brands such as Rolex, Tudor and Hublot on their wrist. The gang even threatened several victims with a knife and pepper spray. The facts took place outside the festival site, on the way back to the car parks and the buses.

Northern French gang?

In February of this year, Deferm already said that it was a gang from probably Northern France, but that the perpetrators had never been found. "We were there by taxi, with a group of friends. We had had a few drinks and were therefore probably easy prey. I was the last to walk and was attacked from behind," Deferm said at the time.

He ended up only staying home for five days after the incident. "I didn't want to show myself in public with my damaged face. Then I just went back to work. I tried to quickly turn the switch. And if I can, I will go to Tomorrowland again this year."