A Harley-Davidson is therefore not a ‘basic necessity’

During a test drive last April, William (57) decided to take off with a rental company’s camper.

An act of desperation, William says four months later to the Utrecht police judge, where he is on trial for embezzlement. He no longer had a home, there was no one to help him and he didn’t want to be a burden. He did not see himself sleeping in a homeless shelter, but also not on the street, among the young guests, “after all, I am no longer the youngest.” William was, in his own words, driven by instability, panic and stress.

He wears jeans with legs that flare down and his medium-length hair is tied back in a ponytail. A month after he drove away in the camper, he was tracked down by the police in Den Dolder – the rental company had filed a report. During a search, officers found a key to a Harley-Davidson. He also did not return it after a test drive. After “crossing the line into theft” with the camper, William says, he “decided” that an engine “might as well do it.” “A mistake, of course.”

‘Just take the helmet and key with you’

Where William parked the camper and how he lived is not further asked or discussed. William mainly wants to convey that he is sorry. “When I was arrested, I told everything honestly.”

“Not immediately,” says the judge. “You came up with the story that you had borrowed the items. And then you started consulting with your lawyer and…”

“After the arrest I immediately said; just take the helmet and key with you.”

So William decided to “follow the system” – he cannot say it often enough how hard he is working to get his life back on track. He registered for homeless care and when he had a place to sleep again, he started looking for work, which he found within a week. He now works at Decathlon four days a week. He helps everyone very well, the “nice people, the less pleasant people”.

“Let’s talk about it,” says the judge, and she continues that he should not take the facts lightly.

William interrupts her again, because he already knows that. “Madam, I am aware of myself.” His lawyer, who sits to his right, puts his hand on his arm to silence him.

“I think the personal stress on the landlords has been great, I have thought all those things through. I’m sorry, I apologize. But it was not a well-considered act that I wanted to steal a camper on a nice day.”

Ultimately, William ended up in homeless shelters after the thefts. “I have my own room. Before that I spent six weeks in dormitories, a horrible period, I lacked a bizarre amount of sleep. Due to all the stress, I developed heart problems and high blood pressure, while I have lived healthy all my life, I have always tried to have a good body, but now I am in a shelter and it is all over. off the charts. Things are not going well at all.”

The public prosecutor believes that William has abused good faith. The camper and motorcycle were both worth more than 10,000 euros, and many people spent a long time trying to track it down again.

After “crossing the line into theft,” he decided, “hope,” that a motorcycle “might as well do it.”

A Harley-Davidson is not a “basic necessity”, his lawyer also understands that, “it is a bit more difficult to explain”. But it was inspired by how easy it was to steal the camper…

William: “It was more anger against society.”

His lawyer: “Well, he said so himself.”

The judge agrees to the officer’s demand: William receives 180 hours of community service, of which 80 are conditional.

William stands up in some despair. “Goodbye,” he says warmly. “Or well, hopefully not goodbye.”

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