Bike theft in the Netherlands has dropped, but the losses remain high

Bicycle theft in the Netherlands is on the decline, however the monetary prices stay excessive. Why? Thieves are more and more focusing on dearer fashions, equivalent to racing bikes and electrical bikes. 

2019 noticed fewer bikes stolen

Researchers from Bureau Beake investigated bicycle theft within the Netherlands on behalf of S.A.F.E Nederland (a basis tackling (e-)bike theft within the Netherlands). Their report cites figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), exhibiting that in 2019 466.560 individuals within the Netherlands fell sufferer to bike theft. In 2016, there have been 645.240 victims.  

The researchers estimate the monetary value of motorbike thefts is round 600 million euros per yr. Their report exhibits this value doesn’t align with the downward development within the variety of bike thefts. It’s because increasingly more thieves and gangs are focusing on bikes of upper worth, for instance racing bikes, electrical bikes, and bakfietsen. 

Organised gangs from Japanese Europe

In line with Bureau Beake’s analysis, bicycle theft is more and more dedicated by organised gangs, who usually come from Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Serbia, or Albania. These gangs then typically take the bikes again to their house nation, or alternatively transport them to France. 

S.A.F.E chairman, Jeroen Snijders Blok, want to see extra finished to sort out bike crime within the Netherlands, saying the Dutch police give no precedence to bicycle theft. The inspiration want to deploy technical sources, equivalent to track-and-trace programs, to make it simpler to observe up and clear up bike thefts.