Dakwerker drive on bare feet behind materiaaldieven, but who can escape

Ieper at least for the fifth time in a few weeks, in our region an independent contractor is the victim of a burglary in his van. Wednesday night was dakwerker Renato Verhaeghe (40) from Ypres at the turn. “During the pursuit I played them lost in the vicinity of the A19,” says the man, who, in his hurry, with only a pair of pants, and bare feet in the Mini Cooper of his daughter was jumped.

Around half past three on Thursday morning was Renato Verhaeghe awakened by the barking of a dog. The man lives with his family in the Siegenlaan, in what is popularly known as ‘the white city’ in Ypres. “I stood up and looked outside, but saw nothing,” says the man, who only since halfway through last year to full time work is as an independent dakwerker. “When I was a minute or five again, lying in bed, I heard a sudden noise. Again, I stood up, a few seconds later to see how the rear doors of my van were open. The light inside was burning and I saw a man walking away with one of my materiaalkoffertjes.”

Surge of adrenaline

Renato got a surge of adrenaline. “I shouted very loud to the perpetrators. They were with three, I had meanwhile seen. Clearly startled, they fled to their car. Who drove in the wrong direction of our cul-de-sac street. ‘That can't be otherwise than right to return’, flashed through my head. Quickly, I jumped in a pair of pants - I always sleep naked - and ran down, with the intention of my van across the street and give them the flights to prevent. But they were back sooner than I thought. A dark-colored break flew our street.”

on the Fly I jumped in a pair of pants - I always sleep naked - and ran down, with the intention of my van across the street and give them the flights to prevent. But they were back sooner than I thought

Renato Verhaeghe

Zuiderring

The bereft dakwerker did not hesitate. “Without thinking, I jumped in the Mini Cooper of my daughter. On bare feet I put the chase in. My wife, in the meantime, the police are called in. That was a combination of three’s a few minutes later, already on the spot. But because I was in all my almost no phone had taken, I was not informed of the escape route.” Renato squeezed everything he could out of the Mini Cooper. “But on the Zuiderring, in the direction of the ramp to the highway, I saw the vluchtwagen getting smaller and I played the offenders lost.”