De Bende van Nijvel (in English: the gang from Nijvel) were a three-man killing team from Belgium who murdered 28 people in Belgium in the 1980s. They are also known as the Brabant Killers. They have never been caught or identified. Early Crimes The gang's crime spree began in early 1982, in Dinant, Belgium, which is in the Belgian province of Brabant. The crimes started as thefts, with no one being injured. The gang stole guns and cars. In mid-1982, their crimes began escalating when police responded to the scene of a robbery at a grocery store. The gang shot and wounded the officers. At the scene of their next robbery, of a gun store, a policeman was killed. Escalation The crimes took an even more sinister turn in December 23, 1982. The gang robbed a restaurant, but this time the caretaker of the restaurant was found tortured and murdered. Throughout 1983, the gang committed more robberies, often targeting grocery stores, weapons stores, and cars. 1983 saw an escalation in the frequency and severity of the attacks, and many were killed. Incidents included: Car robbery (one killed), grocery store robbery (one killed), textile factory robbery (one killed; one severely injured), gas station robbery (three killed; one severely injured), restaurant robbery (one killed), another grocery store robbery (one killed) and jeweller robbery (two killed). Massacres In 1985, after a over a year of no activity, the scale of the crimes escalated to new heights. On September 27, 1985, two chains of the grocery store Delhaize were robbed. At the first robbery of a Delhaize store in Braine-l'Alleud, $6000 was stolen, three people were killed and two injured. The gang rushed off in their getaway car, and only 25 minutes later, a second robbery happened at another Delhaize store in Overijse where about $25,000 was stolen, five were killed including a child and one wounded. (The Delhaize in Braine-l'Alleud after the robbery by the Gang) (The body of Leon Finné under a blanket. One of the victims at Overijse.) Following these robberies, security was increased in stores in the region, including armed guards. The next, and last, deadly robbery of the gang would have people suspecting the gang had inside knowledge or cooperation. Despite patrols and officers nearby, the gang were able to carry out their bloodiest attack yet, with no engagement from nearby officers until it was too late. The November 9, 1985, incident was the gruesome 'finale' of the Brabant Killers. The location was again a Delhaize grocery store, however a different one than those that had already been burglarized. This location was in a small town called Aalst. Around 7pm, the gang entered the store, wearing bizarre face paint and disguises. They shot anyone who looked at them, including children, under the pretense of eliminating witnesses, though the killers seemed to take pleasure in their actions. Eight people were killed and a further seven injured. Below is one story of the incident: David Van De Steen was only a little boy when his life was almost ended. He and his parents and sister were shopping at Delhaize in Aalst that night. David described his experience in a news article (click here to read full article): David Van De Steen was barely 9 when the Gang of Nijvel shot his family. "I was seriously injured myself and was in hospital for almost a year. My grandparents raised me" (David Van De Steen, 2010s) November 9, 1985, 19.37 hours. David Van De Steen, his parents and his sister had just shopped in the Delhaize in Aalst and stepped into the parking lot to their car. David and his mom walked right behind his dad and sister. It was their last moment together. "Do not shoot, that's my daddy!" His sister called. "A loud bang followed, as if fireworks exploded under your nose. My sister and my father collapsed. The cry of pain that escaped my father's mouth will stay with me all my life. Then the shrill, panicky voice of my mother: 'Run, David! Get out of here!' And then again a bang." David obeyed his mother and fled back into the store where he hid near the comic strips. But suddenly one of those gangsters stood before him. "I looked straight into the well-worn barrel of his gun. He grinned and shot. " Only days later did he wake up in the hospital. He had a gunshot wound to the hip. The artery and muscles in his leg were cut in half. In the hat he wore, two bullet holes were located just under the pompon. David was very lucky that he was still alive. He lay in hospital for almost a year and still feels pain today. The gang took their loot and headed to their getaway car. But they didn't leave straight away, they only left when police arrived at the scene. The gang and officers exchanged fire before the gang drove away. Police pursued for only half a kilometer before 'losing' the gang. (Interior of Delhaize in Aalst after the attack) Later in the evening of November 9, 1985, a witness spotted a seriously injured man, believed to be gang member, on the side of the road. Decades later, forensic evidence found that a weapon had been fired at this location, leading investigators to believe that a gang member was killed by his accomplices. This would line up with the fact that the gang fell quiet after the November 9 incident. My theory is that the other gang members finally thought the man who killed the children had gone too far, killed him, and stopped their criminal activity. No children were killed by the gang until 1985, when two children were killed and more injured. If you'd like to read more on this case please visit my blog. (x)











