Suspect in Delhaize acid attack arrested in Paris

The man suspected of carrying out an attack on a cleaning person at a Delhaize supermarket in Antwerp last month has been arrested in France. The Dutch national is accused of throwing acid in the cleaner’s face, causing severe burns.

The attack happened three months after the man began a campaign to extort money from the supermarket chain. Police were working with Delhaize, but each time the supermarket made an appointment to hand over the money, the man failed to turn up. Police were able to capture images of the man, taken at bank machines (pictured).

According to reports, the man was stopped on Thursday night by French traffic police for a routine check in the Paris area. Officers became suspicious at the number of credit cards in the man’s car. According to VTM, evidence linking the man, who is about 40 years old, to the attack was also found in the car.

Brussels investigators are now in Paris. If they are satisfied the man in custody is the alleged attacker, a procedure will be started to have him extradited to Belgium.

Last week, the victim of the attack, 52-year-old Marina Tijssen, was revived from an induced coma. Doctors are confident they have been able to save her sight, but she is likely to be permanently scarred.