The number of bikes stolen in the Netherlands went up by 10 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to new statistics by Independer and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). More than 85.000 bikes were reported stolen across the country, with Amsterdam being the Dutch city with the most reported bicycle thefts overall.

Zandvoort, Haarlem and Amsterdam see the most bike thefts

Per capita, Zandvoort has the most bike thefts in the Netherlands, with 22,6 incidents per 1.000 residents. Behind Zandvoort is Haarlem, with 22,4 bicycle thefts per 1.000 residents, and Amsterdam placed third with 21,6 bike thefts per 1.000.

In absolute terms, the Dutch capital has had the most bikes stolen in the past year, with a grand total of 10.920 bikes reported to the police as stolen. As any seasoned expat will know, this number is unlikely to be a strong reflection of the true number of stolen bicycles in the city, since so many bike thefts go unreported.

Behind Amsterdam comes Rotterdam, with 4.755 stolen bikes, followed by The Hague with 4.450 and Utrecht with 4.040. The province of Noord-Holland reported 19.710 bikes missing, making it the worst province to park your bike in, followed by Zuid-Holland (18.745) and Noord-Brabant (12.785). The biggest increase in bicycle thefts happened in Flevoland (34,5 percent increase) and Groningen (21 percent increase).

Stolen bikes should be reported to the police as soon as possible

Though it may seem like a thankless task, if your bike is stolen in the Netherlands it is important to report it to the police, even if you think it’s unlikely to be tracked down. While it’s true that only a small percentage of bikes stolen in the Netherlands are ever recovered, informing the police about its theft can help them identify bikes that are left behind at events or parked in the wrong places, and also helps them to keep an eye on theft patterns. 

To prevent your bike from being stolen in the Netherlands you could consider buying a heavy-duty lock, or even a GPS tracker. According to Michel Ypma, home insurance expert at Independer, the company that compiled the ranking from the CBS’ data, also recommends taking out insurance on any valuable bikes as people often mistakenly believe that their bike can be covered by their home insurance.

“If your bicycle is stolen outside your home, home insurance is of no use. Then you can only claim through bicycle insurance with theft cover,” Ypma clarified. 

Most bike thefts per 1.000 residents in the Netherlands

According to Independer, these are the places where the most bikes are stolen per 1.000 residents in the Netherlands: 

• 1. Zandvoort (North Holland) : 22,6 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 2. Haarlem (North Holland) : 22,4 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 3. Amsterdam (North Holland) : 21,6 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 4. Nijmegen (Gelderland) : 21,6 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 5. Utrecht (Utrecht) : 21,5 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 6. Helmond (North Brabant) : 19,7 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 7. Delft (South Holland) : 19,6 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 8. Groningen (Groningen) : 19,4 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 9. Heemstede (North Holland) : 18,7 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households
• 10. Bloemendaal (North Holland) : 18,1 bicycle thefts per 1.000 households

For more information about the ranking, check out Independer’s website.