Bike thieves work on request

Bicycle theft is a big social problem in Amsterdam. The number of robberies has also increased in recent years Parool has reported. Bikes in Amsterdam / Flickr A research by the newspaper shows that now bicycle thieves have "clients" they steal bikes for. The clients can request certain model, style and color etc. The newspaper reported speaking to four bike thieves for a delivery of a stolen bike. Prices vary and differ by bicycle dealer. One experienced Amsterdam bike thief, called Mike (40), get 20 euros per bike. Mike has been doing this job for three years. In Amsterdam, the number of bicycle thefts increased dramatically to 7,880 in 2012 from 5,880 in 2008, the newspaper said. The number of arrests for bicycle theft in Amsterdam in recent years ranges between three and four hundred. A recent poll of 2,000 people in Amsterdam by Parool reveals that more than 80% have had a bike stolen at least once. Nearly 60% respondents say that have had a bike stolen multiple times.