Dutch bike thefts soar to set new record high, with most stolen in Amsterdam

The number of reports of bicycle theft is continuing to rise, comparison website Independer reported. They based this on info from police data. Last year, there were 86,220 reports of bicycle theft, a 30 percent increase compared to five years ago. Amsterdam was the city with the most reported incidents, the most thefts per capita came in Heemstede.

Around 10,810 bicycles were stolen in Amsterdam last year, which is more than the total of bike thefts in the provinces of Drenthe, Flevoland, Zeeland, Friesland, and Groningen combined.

However, when comparing the number of thefts to the number of households, Heemstede tops the list. There were 23.1 bicycle thefts per 1,000 residents in the Noord-Holland town. The risk of having your bicycle stolen was also high in Veere, Zeeland. Around 22.7 bicycle thefts were reported per 1,000 people in the area. Amsterdam is fourth in the list of bicycle thefts per capita.

Renswoude and Schiermonnikoog are the only two municipalities in which no bicycle thefts were reported.

DeFietsersbond, an association for cyclists, has published seven tips to prevent your bike from being stolen. People are advised to note their frame number, always use two locks to lock up your bike against a fence or pole, and to keep an eye on the police’s social media accounts if your bike is stolen.