The two men who robbed the home of a couple who had just moved to the Baarloseweg in Kessel on October 1, 2018, must serve three and four years in prison. The tipster, one of the movers, was also sentenced to jail by the Roermond court on Wednesday.

The sentences fall short of the prosecution's demands two weeks ago.

Terrified

The couple had just moved in when they suddenly found themselves face to face with the robbers. They had been tipped off by a mover that there was money to be collected. The court called the robbery "a very intense and shocking experience for the victims." During the robbery, the couple was yelled at, the man received a knife to the throat and the two were locked in the basement closet. "The residents endured agony," said the judge, who sentenced Wesley V. (25, Geleen) and Nic L. (23, Sittard) to four and three years in prison, respectively.

The robbery was "instigated," the court said, by mover Dennis L. (23, Beek) after he first stole 11,500 euros from the home himself. He received two and a half years in prison for the theft and robbery. Because he was still on probation from a previous conviction, an additional six months will be added.

Exoneration

The other two suspects were acquitted. Remco B. (33, Nuth) was 'chauffeur' during a preliminary investigation, but the court sees no evidence that he knew about the later robbery. The court also sees no evidence that 'driver' A.M. (27, residence unknown), who was serving an electronic detention in Belgium during the substantive hearing, knew about the robbery.