Sharp rise in car break-ins in first four months of the year

Criminals broke into cars much more in the first four months of 2022 than in the same period a year earlier, police figures show. In 2021, the many coronavirus measures most likely made it difficult to traffic goods stolen from cars, such as headlights and navigation systems.

Police registered nearly 14,000 car break-ins in the first four months of this year, an increase of 41 percent compared to the same period in 2021. Criminals who like to ply their trade after sunset and were likely hindered by the curfew in 2021, according to André Bouwman from the The National (LIV). The many border controls in Europe also hindered the black market trade.

"If you drive around in a van with 40 headlights and the police check you, then you have something to explain," says Bouwman.

In addition, people were on the road less during lockdowns, so they caused less damage to vehicles. Thus, there was also a reduced demand for stolen car parts. This year the road has become busier again and the economy is catching up, which also translates into shortages of materials, says Bouwman. As a result, there is also more demand for the stolen items acquired by car criminals, he suspects.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, a decrease in the number of auto break-ins was clear. In particular, Bouwman sees that fewer and fewer cars were broken into to steal valuables, such as expensive sunglasses. The decline is smaller when it comes to auto parts. For instance, this year, many valuable Peugeot bonnets were stolen in and around Rotterdam.