On a quiet street in Schiedam‑West, where the rhythms of daily life usually roll by unnoticed, an unexpected stillness settled when neighbors realized something was wrong at a home on Dirk van Wassenaarstraat. A man, 49 years old, had not been heard from for days — and when authorities responded to a call from concerned contacts, they found him deceased inside his residence under circumstances that police describe as “suspicious.”

The discovery, made on Thursday but reported this past weekend, unfolded like an unanswered question: no signs of recent contact, no clear timeline of death, and the quiet unanswered ring of an unanswered phone. Officers, acting on the report of someone unreachable for multiple days, entered the house and found the man’s body. It remains unclear exactly when he passed away, but investigators believe it likely occurred earlier in the week.

There was no simple cause immediately evident, which prompted the police to escalate the case. A Team Grootschalige Opsporing (TGO) — a Major Crime Team — has been organized to pursue a thorough inquiry into what happened. The involvement of such a team signals that authorities are treating the death with significant investigative resources while keeping open the possibility of a crime having taken place.

For neighbors, the arrival of investigators in white forensic suits and the sight of a coroner’s vehicle transformed an ordinary street into a scene of careful deliberation. Some residents recalled seeing the man from time to time, though he was known to be somewhat reclusive. Others were startled by the sudden intensity of activity — officers canvassing for information, asking who might have seen him in recent weeks, or who might recognize his distinctive appearance, including a bright pink hat or a cap with fake dreadlocks he was known to wear.

The police have appealed widely for witnesses. They are specifically asking for anyone who saw the man between January 15 and January 29, or who may have captured him on video, to come forward. Community members with even small pieces of information — about his routines, his social contacts, or any unusual occurrences — are urged to contact law enforcement.

At this stage, the investigation remains active, with officers piecing together fragments of evidence and testimony in hopes of understanding how a life came to silence behind a closed door. In a city shaped by the daily pulse of its residents, such an unresolved discovery invites both caution and compassion — a reminder that behind every address is a story waiting to be told, and sometimes, a mystery to be unraveled.

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Sources : Dagblad010 Schiedam24 Dit is Twee AD.nl Hart van Nederland