At around 7.30pm on Tuesday, a man was attacked by two unknown men in Rue de la Forêt in Bertrange. While one of them held the victim, the other tried to take his watch off his wrist. The victim was also beaten.
Only when passers-by and other residents intervened and threatened to call the police did the two attackers let go of their victim. They fled along Route de Longwy towards the capital. The victim was taken to hospital for a check-up.
The police helicopter was used during the search operation, which was launched to find the two suspected robbers, but without success. Shortly afterwards, the helicopter was despatched for the second time that evening.
At around 8pm, another watch theft was reported to the police in Luxembourg City. This time, the victim was in his car, with the window open, stopped at a red light at the intersection of Avenue Emile Reuter and Boulevard Joseph II. An individual appeared and snatched his watch from his wrist, before fleeing in a white car towards an unknown destination.
In this case too, the police helicopter was used during the search. Once again without success: the police did not manage to catch the thief.
The police are looking for possible witnesses of these two watch thefts. Witnesses are asked to call the police emergency number 113 or the Luxembourg City Police on (+352) 244 40 1000.
It is not unusual for the police to use their helicopter in such cases. The two Airbus H145M helicopters, which the Luxembourg police have been using since 2020, are despatched, among other things, during manhunts. The police helicopter is also used for general surveillance of an area, as well as for maintaining order and for preventive action against crime.
The helicopter is meant to support the police personnel on the ground. The aerial perspective makes it easier to monitor the situation in the event of gatherings such as demonstrations or major accidents.
The air support team consists of eight specially trained operators. They carry out observation and escort missions, as the helicopter pilots are recruited externally.
