Garage hit in latest explosion targeting plumber’s business

Police inspect the garage premises after the latest attack. Photo: ANP MediaTV

A garage has been damaged in the fourth explosive attack in a week on a plumber’s business in Vlaardingen.

The blast, in Wilhelminastraat at around 3.45am on Wednesday, damaged a garage door and a neighbouring house, but nobody was injured, police said.

The garage belongs to plumber Ron van Uffel, whose home and business premises have been damaged in a series of explosions in recent days.

Early on Tuesday morning police arrested a 26-year-old man from Rotterdam, an hour after Van Uffel’s home was attacked in a blast that was strong enough to cause cracks in the exterior wall.

Last Saturday a suspicious package was delivered to the plumber’s home, while on Friday an explosion at his company’s premises in Koninginnestraat caused extensive damage. In April two of his company’s vans were blown up.

The mayor of Vlaardingen, Bert Wijbenga, has ordered extra police patrols around Gretha Hofstralaan, where the plumber lives, and visited the neighbourhoods where the explosions took place at the weekend.

“It’s terrible that what is evidently a conflict between people and has led to this behaviour is affecting people who have absolutely nothing to do with it,” Wijbenga said.

Van Uffel has been ordered to close his business premises and has moved his family into a hotel. He told the Telegraaf he had done nothing wrong and accused the mayor of forcing him out of his home.

“I am the victim but I am being treated like a criminal,” he said.

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