On Thursday afternoon, November 12, a wild car chase tore through Vlissingen, cutting across a construction site and culminating in police warning shots as suspects managed to evade capture, De Telegraaf reported.
The high-speed pursuit began after officers failed in an attempt to smash the window of a suspect vehicle. The driver immediately took off at full throttle, barrelling across an active construction site and smashing directly through a security fence in a frantic bid to shake off the authorities.
Construction workers on site found themselves mere feet away from the unfolding chaos, capturing the wild-west style scene on their phones. Other footage reviewed by reporters shows officers discharging multiple rounds, though the effort proved unsuccessful as the suspects remained at large.
While the suspects successfully fled the immediate area, law enforcement later located and towed away the suspected getaway vehicle near the Draaibrug in Oost-Souburg. According to Omroep Zeeland, local worker Renco witnessed the harrowing sequence of events from up close as the car tore past scaffolding.
“Die liggen nu niet meer netjes, dus dan moet hij nog een keer terugkomen om dat netjes te leggen,”
Renco joked to Omroep Zeeland regarding the displaced scaffolding planks, though he acknowledged the gravity of the situation once weapons were drawn. People scrambled for cover as the vehicles roared past at breakneck speeds, and Renco told Omroep Zeeland that later he thought, “hé, dat had ook anders kunnen aflopen.”
Following the chaos at the Prins Hendriksweg, the Dutch police launched a formal public appeal for witnesses to locate the fleeing suspects. This operation is part of a larger investigation into possible illegal arms trafficking in the region.
Because the investigation remains active and sensitive, authorities have refrained from disclosing specific addresses or operational locations. Police confirmed to Omroep Zeeland that the discharged rounds were strictly warning shots fired in an effort to halt the vehicle.
Investigators are urging anyone with knowledge of the suspects’ current whereabouts or relevant details to come forward. Tips can be directed to the police non-emergency line at 0900-8844, while anonymous reports are accepted through Meld Misdaad Anoniem at 0800-7000 via Politie.nl.
