The best helper? Piet and Sinterklaas stop a robbery in Dutch town

Two people dressed as Sinterklaas and Piet caught a shoplifter outside of the residential boulevard in Almelo on Sunday afternoon. 🎅

The perpetrator tried to steal two jigsaws worth €400 from a hardware store — when the security alarms went off, the thief took off with the stolen items in hand.

He was, at last, unsuccessful in his attempt to shoplift as none other than jolly Sint-Nicolaas and his side-kick caught him in a wild chase, writes NU.nl.

Translation: “I’m going to pieces, Sinterklaas and his helpers in Almelo apprehend a thief. 😭😭

A Christmas-themed catch

Sinterklaas was standing in front of the hardware store with Piet, busy entertaining a crowd of kids, when the two saw the thief running out of the shop. 

They immediately ran after him — and by doing this, the perpetrator dropped his stolen items in fear. 

He then hid in another store on the boulevard but was soon found by Piet, who put him in a headlock until the police arrived. He was then arrested and put in custody, pending further investigation. 

READ MORE | When does Sinterklaas arrive in the Netherlands? The 2022 city guide

Truly a scene that you don’t see every day — the police expressed their gratitude to Sinterklaas and Piet for their help. “It is special to get a civilian arrest from Sinterklaas”, a spokesperson for the police tells NU.nl.

We think it’s safe to say that this thief won’t be getting any candy canes or chocolates in his Christmas stocking this year. 🧦 

What do you think about Sinterklaas and his helper’s latest heroic catch? Tell us in the comments below!

Featured Image: Erik Bro/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0

Gaelle Salem
Gaelle Salem
Born and raised on the island of Sint Maarten, Gaelle moved to the Netherlands in 2018 to attend university. Still trying to survive the erratic Dutch wind and rain, she has taken up the hobby of buying a new umbrella every month. You can probably find her in the centre of The Hague appreciating the Dutch architecture with a coffee in one hand and a slice of appeltaart in the other.

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