Police apologise after showing wrong man as Woerden suspect
Police say the man whose images they published in an extortion case in Woerden has nothing to do with it, and that they and the Public Prosecution Service have apologised.
Police published images of a man in a public appeal over the extortion of a woman in Woerden and the use of her stolen bank card. After an investigation, police now say he is not a suspect and was in no way involved.
The man came to police attention because he matched the suspect's description and the times of the card payments. "Afterwards it turned out that police drew a wrong conclusion here. The man shown has nothing to do with this case," police said in a statement online.
Police removed the images of the man immediately. They ask everyone who shared them to delete them as well.
Police say they share images of suspects only when needed to solve a case, and in consultation with the Public Prosecution Service (Openbaar Ministerie). "Police and the Public Prosecution Service greatly regret this mistake and have apologised," the statement says.
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OM (Openbaar Ministerie)
The Public Prosecution Service, which decides whether suspects are prosecuted and brings criminal cases to court.