Brabant - Treatment For A Thriller

As I'm amazed that no one's written a script or book about the Brabant Killers so I thought I'd have a bash...

When I wrote about the Brabant Killers for The New European many, many years ago, I was surprised to discover that this extraordinary case had yet to inspire a film or novel. As far as I know, this continues to be the case, at least as far as the English-speaking world is concerned. So here for what I hope will be your enjoyment is an outline of the story I’d like to tell and some of the characters I’d be keen to examine…

On March 13th 1982, a shotgun is stolen from a shop in Dinant, Belgium. Two cops are assigned to the relatively minor case - Jens, fat, ageing, out of love with his work, and Toni, young, idealistic, determined to bring the world to justice. The pair interview the shop owner who claims to have seen two men running from his shop and the cops go back to the station to write up their report.

Two months later, on May 10th, an Austin Allegro is stolen from a local car showroom. Again, the case ends up in the hands of Jens and Toni, the latter of whom can't file the paperwork quickly enough while the latter pumps the showroom proprietor for information.

Then, on August 14th, something major happens. A grocery store is held up in the French border town of Maubege. Although the shop's tills are full, the thieves have only lifted food and wine. They also exchange gunfire with two Gendarmes, both of whom are severely wounded. Since the crime took place outside of their jurisdiction, Jens and Toni's services aren't called upon. However, the younger man has a tough time reconciling the daring nature of the theft with the fact that money doesn't appear to have been a motive,

Come the eve of Christmas Eve, our 'friends' appear to have been at it again. A restaurant in Beersel has been raided outside hours. Once again, comestibles - in this case coffee and wine - are removed rather than cash. More worryingly for Jens and Toni, the three-man gang torture to death the property's caretaker. Given the similarities between this robbery and the Maubege incident, the men are convinced they're dealing with the same people. Jens remains less interested in the case than his young partner but can't deny that the caretaker's murder has raised the stakes.