Van Zwam is often victim of assassination attempts . In " De Juwelen van Gaga-Pan " ( " The Jewels of Gaga-Pan " ) ( 1949 ) and " Het Bobobeeldje " ( " The Bobo Statue " ) ( 1965 ) he is wounded in a car accident . In " Het Geheim van Bakkendoen " ( " The Secret of Bakkendoen " ) ( 1957-1958 ) , " Toffe Theo " ( " Nice Theo " ) ( 1969 ) , " Het Geheim van Jan Spier " ( " The Secret of Jan Spier " ) ( 1977 ) he is shot down . In " De Paarse Futen " ( " The Purple Great crested grebes " ) ( 1966-1967 ) his legs are tied into a knot . In " De Groene Chinees " ( " The Green Chinese " ) ( 1954 ) , " De Zwarte Toren " ( " The Black Tower " ) ( 1983 ) , " Baraka " ( 1986 ) and " De Drie Wrekers " ( " The Three Avengers " ) ( 1992 ) villains put a bar of soap on the stairs , causing Van Zwam to trip and break his leg . In " De Gouden Patatten " ( " The Golden Potatoes " ) ( 1984 ) Van Zwam is shot by the Brabant killers and near death . As a matter of protest all the main protagonists of '' The Adventures of Nero '' decide to go on strike to force Marc Sleen into bring him back to life , which he eventually does
Brabant killers
Brabant killers
Detective Van Zwam