Record 32,000 anonymous tips help police catch suspects in 2025

Meld Misdaad Anoniem saw a record number of anonymous tips in 2025. It passed on 32,007 reports to the police, local authorities, and investigative services, a 32 percent rise from the year before.

Meld Misdaad Anoniem attributes the rise to the nationwide “Keep Crime Out of Your Neighborhood” campaign. Throughout the year, TV, radio, and online ads encouraged people to spot signs of criminal behavior and guided them on how to respond.

Nearly 50 percent of the tips involved drug-related offenses, including street-level dealing, cannabis cultivation, and synthetic drug production. Additionally, there were close to 3,500 reports of violent incidents.

The number of tips increased in every category, with fraud reports more than doubling from 490 in 2024 to 1,164 in 2025. Meld Misdaad Anoniem also saw a sharp rise in reports of illegal sales of vapes and cigarettes.

Meld Misdaad Anoniem reported that its tips helped identify 3,452 suspects and led to the seizure of 1,140 weapons.

Police highlighted an incident following a Feyenoord match against Turkey’s Fenerbahçe last summer, when several men hurled a 23-kilogram pole over a barrier at celebrating Feyenoord supporters. A steward suffered a severe concussion. Tips led police to a 31-year-old suspect.

An anonymous tip also helped start the investigation into a 43-year-old man who stole a bronze horse statue from the Kurhaus in Scheveningen. Police emphasized that tips are invaluable, including those about frequent explosions in certain neighborhoods. “Observant residents’ reports can be crucial in leading us to the offenders,” they said