According to research by Bureau Beke, around 600 million euros worth of bicycles was stolen in 2019. The increase in value makes it increasingly attractive for organized gangs to steal bicycles, the report published on Thursday. Bicycle theft in the Netherlands.
It research was carried out on behalf of the Stichting Aanpak Fiets and E-bike theft (SAFE). According to the chairman of SAFE, Jeroen Snijders, the current approach is “both preventive and repressive” inadequate.
The amount of 600 million euros is a rough estimate, calculated on the basis of the estimated number of victims of bicycle theft in 2019 in combination with the average purchase price of a new bicycle.
According to the Security Monitor, more than 466,000 people were victims of bicycle theft last year. The Bureau Beke report distinguishes three types of victims: consumers, bicycle shops and bicycle rental companies.
Only 20 percent of the cases are reported, because people have no confidence that their bicycle will ever be recovered. The people who report the crime do so mainly because the insurance requires this. A bicycle is recovered in 4 percent of the cases.
Organized gangs are targeting e-bikes
According to the report, the approach to the most common property crime in the Netherlands falls short, while the increased value makes it more attractive for criminals to steal bicycles.
Bureau Beke therefore observes that organized gangs are increasingly using e-bikes. These are then exported abroad. During the investigation, the National Police reportedly announced that it no longer gave priority to bicycle theft.
The report also shows that insurers are no longer always able to continue to insure certain bicycles, especially now that bicycles are becoming more expensive. That is why consideration is being given to levying annual premiums, as is the case with cars.
According to the report, more can be invested in guarded bicycle parking in the context of prevention and more options should be provided to secure bicycles to something.
The approach should initially focus on the more expensive segment of bicycles.
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