The São Paulo Civil Police identified three of the seven men who attacked two Dutch tourists, on Ladeira da Constitution, in the 25 de Março region, in the center of the capital of São Paulo. One of the victims was attacked and died days later.
The images from the site’s security cameras were shown exclusively by SBT Brasil. In the video, it is possible to see Hessel Hoekstra, 58 years old, in a beige shirt, together with a friend, in blue, walking down the street until they were approached, from behind, by two thieves.
+ Dutchman dies after reacting to robbery and being beaten in the center of São Paulo; watch the moment of the crime
One of the bandits grabs the man in blue’s necklace, but Hessel tries to avoid the approach and ends up surrounded by the criminals. Then other bandits appear. Hessel is beaten, kicked and falls further ahead. When he falls, he hits his head on the asphalt. The thieves then flee.
Hessel was taken to a hospital and died 12 days later. The case was registered as robbery. The man who appears in the images dressed in blue has already returned to the Netherlands. Martin Jansen would give a statement to the São Paulo Civil Police, this Friday (02), via the internet.
In addition to the Dutch, an Italian woman and a Swiss man were also attacked by criminals in the center of the capital of São Paulo. The region is experiencing a wave of violence with robberies and looting. The two tourists had arrived in Brazil hours earlier, and were approached by a group of robbers near an overpass. The gang took cell phones and documents.
+ Consulate provides support to the family of the Dutchman who died in the center of São Paulo
Security camera footage shows the moment when three robbers approach the Italian woman and the Swiss man. They steal the man’s cell phone; One of the criminals even holds the woman to take the device and her documents. Afterwards, the bandits jump over a wall of the viaduct and escape. No one was arrested. The victims reported, in testimony, that they were leaving a bar when they were attacked.
Despite the violence that affects the city center, data from the Public Security Secretariat indicate a reduction in the number of robberies in the capital of São Paulo, between 2022 and 2023. In the police districts that cover the region, the drop was just under 6%.
Vanessa lives on the same street where the tourists were attacked. According to her, robberies happen every day. “Every day, we hear ‘take it, take it, take it’, every day we see a robbery. We don’t leave with anything, we leave without a cell phone, we leave without a wallet. If we have to go somewhere, it’s by car… those who can, those who can’t leave like this, very scared”, says the resident.
