AALTEN — With a resounding thud, the garage of the old police station in the Peperstraatje collapsed yesterday. The rickety structure was unable to serve out its time. Within the foreseeable future, the new police station on the Polstraat will be completed, and the restoration of the building currently serving as the police station can begin. It will then house several municipal offices. The national police in Aalten will likely not be too distressed about the destroyed garage.

They will, however, be concerned about the car that was parked in the garage at the moment it gave way. The police report drawn up regarding the incident states that the vehicle was quite seriously damaged. It is further unknown whether a report was filed against the owner of the property for neglecting maintenance obligations. In that case, it would be the municipality that should be held responsible for the damage to national property.