Dutch police have finally cracked the case of a petrol station robbery nearly a decade on after the thief handed himself in, apparently wracked by a guilty conscience.
The cold case dates back to January 18, 2016. A robber stole a few hundred euros from a petrol station in the southern Dutch town of Terneuzen.
The cashier was able to give a detailed description of the thief and police opened an investigation, but could not find their man and the case remained unsolved.
“Until now,” police reported in a jubilant statement.
“A 28-year-old man who now lives in Arnhem probably had a guilty conscience and recently handed himself in to police in his hometown,” authorities said.
The man voiced regret for the crime and said he wanted to pay back the cash.
Prosecutors are now weighing how to proceed with the case.
