BRUSSELS, August 30 (Itar-Tass) — Burglaries of Russian diplomats’ homes in Brussels are an everyday reality, while the police stay idle, Russia’s mission at NATO told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
“Only Russian embassy staff residing inside the perimeter fence on the guarded territory of the diplomatic mission feel secure. The diplomats of Russia’s permanent missions at NATO and the EU who rent apartments in the city are the criminals’ frequent target,” the Russian diplomatic mission told Itar-Tass.
Over the past six months four apartments of Russian diplomats have been burgled.
“Such incidents occurred before. Some apartments have been raided twice or even thrice,” the press-service said.
The police have demonstrated their utter inability to at least simulate some sort of activity. Even CCTV cameras are of no help.
“The victims write complaints, which are accepted, but at the same time they are politely told that nobody will be tracked down in any case,” the mission said.
One of the affected diplomats has told Itar-Tass that after he found his apartment burgled last Friday “the police refused to arrive at the crime scene, because it was a weekend.”
“Crime scene investigators arrived to look for fingerprints and other traces of the crime two days later on Monday, the first working day of the week,” he said.
“The sole thing that the police offer to all victims is the services of a psychoanalyst, who is expected to help people put up with the crime committed against them,” the diplomat said.
In response to an official note regarding the unacceptable criminal situation the Belgian Foreign Ministry replied that each individual is responsible for the degree of protection of one’s apartment, because the police are unable to prevent burglaries or find criminals.
On the whole the crime situation in the Belgian capital has deteriorated over the past decade. The rates of house burglaries, street robberies, breaks into cars and armed attacks against supermarkets have gone up. The feeling of impunity among youth is the contributing factor, because even in the few cases burglars find themselves in the dock they quite often get away with suspended sentences.