Neighbors, not criminals, behind rising number of explosions in Oost-Nederland
Eastern Netherlands neighborhoods have seen a sharp rise in door and property explosions in recent years, RTV Oost reports. Authorities say many cases stem not from organized crime, but from personal disputes among ordinary citizens.
The number of such attacks has increased sharply. Police records show 40 incidents in 2023, rising to 127 in 2024. So far in 2025, authorities have recorded 121 explosions, often caused by illegal fireworks.
In the past week alone, heavy explosions rattled a flat on Ypelobrink in Enschede, a property on Lassuslaan in Zwolle’s Holtenbroek district, and a hair salon on Bornsestraat in Almelo. Recent arrests include seven young men connected to previous explosions at a tanning salon in Borne.
Residents frequently assume that underworld figures are responsible, but many attacks reportedly arise from ordinary disputes. Police spokesperson Suzan Scholten said, “In more than half of the attacks, there are ‘household-level conflicts’ between non-criminal citizens. Often these are relational disputes.” She added that using explosives to settle arguments is becoming more common, citing easy access to fireworks, low cost, and Dutch firework culture.
About 80 percent of the explosions involve illegal fireworks, often Cobra-style devices filled with flash powder. These fireworks can rival military-grade explosives and cause extensive damage. Ordinary seem to be increasingly using them to settle personal grievances.
One case in Almelo illustrates this trend. A house on De IJsduiker suffered three fires over the summer. Authorities arrested a 19-year-old acquaintance of the residents. According to neighbors, the attacks were linked to divorce-related family disputes.
However, some explosions appear connected to criminal activity. At the Almelo barbershop on Bornsestraat, multiple explosives detonated. During the subsequent trial, prosecutors said the attacks were directed not at the young barber, but at the property’s landlord.
Authorities say the rising number of explosions is a growing challenge. Suspects are often well-disguised, and surveillance footage is not always useful. Police increasingly deploy mobile camera units, such as at the Borne tanning salon and later in Hengelo. Scholten noted, “Each incident has its own background. This also determines which measures are taken. It is difficult to generalize about responses.”
The increase in explosions is partly due to copycat behavior. Arrests are frequent, but tracing organizers remains difficult. Scholten explained, “There are usually multiple layers between the executor and the client. Even if suspects wanted to cooperate, they often do not know for whom they are working. Victims also do not always want to speak with police. Few report conflicts over, for example, drugs.”
Authorities are particularly concerned about the age of offenders. The average age is 23, significantly lower than other crimes, with some suspects as young as 13 or 14, a trend police call very troubling.
