Package theft rises in Amsterdam, with Oost most affected
Reports of stolen packages are rising in Amsterdam. Police received 94 reports of stolen packages between January and April this year, a 15 percent increase compared with the same period two years earlier. The increase was concentrated mainly in Amsterdam-Oost, where reports rose 44 percent over two years, from 25 cases to 36. The three largest package delivery companies in the Netherlands—PostNL, DHL, and DPD—said they are taking measures to reduce theft.
The rise comes as more residents report packages disappearing from shared entrances and other accessible areas. AT5 received multiple tips from residents about stolen deliveries. A survey of nearly 2,000 Amsterdam residents also found that 16 percent said one or more of their packages had gone missing. The missing items most often involved clothing, shoes, and accessories, but electronics and cosmetics were also frequently mentioned.
Large apartment buildings with unattended shared entrances appear to be particularly vulnerable. Yass, who lives in a large, newly built apartment complex in Amsterdam-Zuidoost, told AT5 that packages are regularly stolen from his building. “Packages are often left in the central hall by delivery workers or even outside at the front door,” Yass said. “Thieves can simply walk into the hall and take everything.”
Consumer law generally places responsibility for a package with the sender until the recipient has physically received it, unless the consumer specifically authorized delivery to a certain location.
Another victim, Arthur de Froe, told AT5 when he ordered a MacBook worth thousands of euros, he “received a track-and-trace message: your package has been delivered, but there was never a delivery driver,” de Froe said. “When I asked the delivery service, they said I had signed for receipt.”
Using camera footage, de Froe proved no driver had arrived and that he had not signed anything. However, the issue occurred again during a second delivery attempt. “Again, I received a message saying that I had signed for receipt. Fortunately, this time I found the package at the front door.”
Xavier Koehoorn, a legal expert involved with consumer rights platform Nietbezorgd, said a signature alone is not enough legal proof that a package was delivered.
“The Supreme Court has ruled that a consumer who denies signing does not have to prove that claim,” Koehoorn told AT5. “In that situation, the burden of proof returns to the sender.” He said evidence such as camera footage would be needed to show that the consumer actually signed.
Police said it is often difficult to identify who is responsible for package theft. While court cases have shown that delivery workers have sometimes committed theft, including a 2017 Amsterdam court case involving a PostNL employee who stole clothing, DVDs and mail items during work, police said there are currently no indications that organized crime groups are specifically targeting package theft.
“Across the entire unit, we regularly see opportunistic thieves,” police said. “People from young to old who take anything that has value to them and is within reach.”
Former package delivery worker and former PostNL subcontractor Ruud Wassenaar told AT5 that delivery pressure is one reason some workers leave packages in common areas instead of delivering them directly. “Leaving it in the central hall saves time,” Wassenaar said. “Then you do not have to walk up several flights of stairs and ring every doorbell.”
He said the pressure is especially high among subcontractors. About 70 percent of package delivery workers operate through such arrangements rather than being directly employed by delivery companies.
“Where an employed delivery worker has to make about 130 stops a day, a worker through a subcontractor often has 180 to 200 stops,” Wassenaar said.
Previous investigations by the Dutch Labor Inspectorate and trade union FNV found that working conditions among subcontractors are regularly under pressure and that some workers are underpaid.
Wassenaar said preventing theft starts with improving conditions for delivery workers. The Consumers’ Association also said giving drivers more time could help.
“They really have very little time to deliver all those packages,” De Witte from the Consumers’ Association said. “If delivery workers have more breathing room, they also have more time and calm to deliver packages properly instead of leaving them somewhere unattended.”
PostNL said it delivers more than 1.2 million packages daily and that about 98% are delivered correctly on the first attempt. The company said theft or missing packages are rare and that it continues to invest in measures to prevent losses and give customers more control over deliveries.
PostNL also said that leaving packages unattended violates delivery agreements unless it is done according to approved instructions. The company said reports are investigated and discussed with the delivery worker involved.
DHL said stolen packages represent a very small number compared with the one million packages it delivers each day. The company said leaving packages unattended is against protocol unless the recipient has designated a safe location. DHL also rejected claims of widespread poor working conditions, saying most delivery workers are directly employed, paid hourly and covered by a collective labor agreement.
DPD said stolen packages are a serious issue, especially in apartment buildings where packages can end up in shared spaces. The company said drivers are not supposed to leave packages in lobbies or shared halls and are expected to deliver them to the recipient’s door, including on upper floors.
“If a recipient notices that this does not happen, we ask them to contact our customer service,” DPD said.
The company added that more than 94% of all packages are delivered successfully on average throughout the year, while acknowledging that completely preventing theft is not realistic because packages can also be stolen from shared areas or during robberies targeting delivery workers.
