Rising Missing Person Reports in Netherlands: Half Involve Children

The Hague – It is a statistic that keeps every parent awake at night: In the Netherlands, nearly 30,000 people are reported missing every single year. But the most alarming part of this data is not the total number; it is the age group.

Official police figures reveal that more than 50% of these cases involve minors (children under 18). While most are found quickly, the sheer volume of reports has forced Dutch authorities to rethink how they handle disappearances, from local “Burgernet” messages to the nationwide “AMBER Alert.”

Table of Contents

• The Numbers: A Growing Concern
• When Do Phones Scream? The AMBER Alert Rules
• Burgernet: The Community Search Party
• Why Do Kids Go Missing?
• Key Takeaways
• Dutch Learning Corner
• Community CTA

The Numbers: A Growing Concern

The scale of the issue puts immense pressure on Dutch law enforcement.

• Total Reports: ~30,000 annually.
• Children: ~16,000+ (Over half of all cases).
• Success Rate: Thankfully, the Dutch police are highly effective. Approximately 66% of missing persons are found within 24 hours, and 80% within the first week.

However, Izanne de Wit, coordinator of the National Missing Persons Expertise Center (LOEP), warns that the remaining 20% are the hardest cases, requiring specialized detectives and international cooperation.

When Do Phones Scream? The AMBER Alert Rules

Expats often ask: “Why don’t I get an AMBER Alert for every missing child?”

The answer is “Alert Fatigue.” Authorities are terrified that if phones buzz too often, people will stop looking. Therefore, the **AMBER Alert** is the “nuclear option,” reserved for the most critical 1-2 cases per year.

Criteria for Activation:
1. The victim must be a minor (under 18).
2. There must be a clear indication of abduction or immediate danger to life.
3. There must be enough information (e.g., a car license plate, a photo) for the public to actually help.

“AMBER Alert is an extremely heavy tool,” explains De Wit. “We only use it when we fear the worst and need 17 million pairs of eyes instantly.”

Burgernet: The Community Search Party

For the thousands of cases that don’t meet the AMBER Alert threshold, the police use Burgernet.

This is a hyper-local system. If a child goes missing in your neighborhood (or an elderly person with dementia wanders off), the police send a voice message or text to registered citizens in that specific postcode.

Tip for Expats: If you live in the Netherlands, downloading the **Burgernet app** is one of the best ways to contribute to your community safety. You might be the one to spot a lost child in your local park.

Why Do Kids Go Missing?

The reasons behind the statistics vary wildly:

• Runaways: Teenagers fleeing conflict at home or care institutions (the largest group).
• International Abduction: Often by a parent during a divorce battle (taking the child to another country).
• Loverboys: Vulnerable teens being lured away by criminal gangs.
• Accidents: Small children wandering off near water (a specific danger in canal-rich Netherlands).

Key Takeaways

• High Volume: 30,000 reports per year, half are children.
• AMBER Alert: Only for life-threatening abductions (rare).
• Burgernet: The primary tool for local searches (download the app!).
• Speed: 80% of cases are solved within a week.

Dutch Learning Corner

Source / Data: Politie.nl & AMBER Alert Nederland