Scooter and moped thefts in Netherlands drop to 13-year low, cities still at risk

Theft claims for scooters, mopeds, and light motorcycles in the Netherlands have declined to their lowest levels since 2012, according to data from insurer Coöperatie Univé. Despite a significant increase in the number of insured vehicles over the past four years, the number of theft claims fell slightly, with Italian brands remaining prime targets for thieves.

Univé said the frequency of theft claims—calculated as the share of annual theft reports among all insured scooters and mopeds—fell from 0.79 percent in 2022 to 0.58 percent in 2025. Flevoland had the highest rate at 0.81 percent, followed by Noord-Holland at 0.74 percent and Noord-Brabant at 0.72 percent. The provinces with the fewest claims were Friesland at 0.29 percent, Drenthe at 0.32 percent, and Gelderland at 0.34 percent.

“On the surface, the percentages look small and the drop modest,” said Henkjan Matthijs, Univé’s mobility manager. “But our insurance portfolio has grown more than a quarter in four years, so this decline is significant — especially when looking at the overall claims costs.”

National data backs up Univé’s findings. According to Stichting Verzekeringsbureau Voertuigcriminaliteit (VbV), 10,051 scooters, mopeds, and light motorcycles were stolen in 2025, the lowest total since the organization began tracking thefts in 2012.

Still, theft remains a serious risk in cities. Over the past four years, Amsterdam (2.03 percent) and Rotterdam (1.94 percent) consistently recorded the highest theft frequencies. Enschede (1.72 percent), Groningen (1.56 percent), and The Hague (1.55 percent) also exceeded the national average. In 2025, Eindhoven led the cities, with theft claims reported for more than 3 percent of Univé-insured two-wheelers.

Italian brands were most often targeted. Piaggio had the highest theft frequency at 1.51 percent, even though claims for the brand have recently declined. Vespa followed at 1.39 percent, showing a slight upward trend. La Souris ranked third at 0.75 percent. “Especially Piaggio and Vespa attract thieves’ attention,” Matthijs said.

Univé urges owners to take preventive measures. “Parking in well-lit or monitored areas helps, as does using an ART-approved lock,” Matthijs said. “Always lock your scooter to a fixed object, use a functioning alarm, and consider a GPS tracker. Never leave keys behind, and secure license plates and accessories.”

The insurer also stressed the importance of registering scooters and mopeds under the actual driver’s name. In May 2025, Univé found that one in five new policies appeared to involve fronting, a practice where the vehicle is insured under someone other than the primary user. Fronting cases are not covered in the event of theft or damage.

“This warning has had an effect, and we repeat it at each policy renewal,” Matthijs said. “Previously, we saw 30 to 40 policy corrections per month; now it ranges from 200 to 250.”