Bike Stolen in the Netherlands? What to Do, Step by Step

Prices, fees and rules in this article were checked on 29 October 2026. They can change, so check the linked pages before you decide.

Short answer: If your bike is gone, first check whether your municipality removed it to a bike depot (fietsdepot). If not, report the theft to the police online via politie.nl or by calling 0900-8844, and give the frame number or chip number. According to Rijksoverheid, the police can only return a recovered bike to you if you supplied that number. Your report then goes into the national bike theft register automatically (procedure checked 29 October 2026, can change).

Bikes are part of daily life in the Netherlands, and so is the moment you walk to the rack and find an empty space. What you do in the next hour, and what you wrote down on the day you bought the bike, decides whether you can ever get it back. This guide follows the official steps from Rijksoverheid and the RDW.

1. The steps at a glance

Source: Rijksoverheid and RDW, checked 29 October 2026. Procedures can change.

2. First check: was it removed by the municipality?

Rijksoverheid advises checking, before you report anything, whether the municipality moved or removed your bike. Municipalities clear bikes that are parked where it is not allowed and bikes that appear abandoned (weesfietsen), and take them to a municipal bike depot. Search your municipality’s website for “fietsdepot” or “verwijderde fiets” and follow the local instructions; having your frame number ready helps.

This check matters because a removed bike is not a stolen bike. You pick it up from the depot under the municipality’s own conditions and fees, which differ per city, so check the local page for the current amount and opening hours.

3. How to report the theft to the police

Rijksoverheid lists two ways to file a report (aangifte):

• Online, through the police reporting forms on politie.nl.
• By phone, via the general police number 0900-8844.

Have these details ready before you start:

• Frame number (framenummer) or chip number
• Brand, type and colour
• Where and when you last saw the bike, and whether it was locked
• Any distinctive features: stickers, a child seat, a basket, damage

If you see a theft happening right now, that is a different situation; our guide to emergency numbers in the Netherlands explains when to call 112 and when to call 0900-8844.

4. Why the frame number matters so much

Rijksoverheid is clear that the frame number or chip number is the most important part of your report. The number usually appears on the proof of ownership (eigendomsbewijs) you received from the bike shop. Only with this number can the police return a recovered bike to you.

If you do not have the number, report anyway and give as many characteristics as you can, such as brand, type and colour. The RDW adds that only with these unique features can you file a complete report, and it advises keeping the frame number, brand and chip number (if the bike has one) in a safe place.

Where to find it on the bike: the frame number is stamped into the frame. Common places are under the bottom bracket, on the rear of the frame near the back wheel, or on the head tube at the front. On many e-bikes it can be harder to read, so photograph it while the bike is new and clean. Our fatbike and e-bike rules guide covers other e-bike obligations.

5. The national bike theft register

After you file a report, your bike is added to the bike theft register (Fietsdiefstalregister) automatically. The police use it to find the owner of a recovered bike. The RDW explains how it works:

• Anyone can search the register with the brand and frame number of a bike.
• The police have up to 10 days to check whether a report contains the correct details, such as the frame or chip number, before the bike appears as stolen.
• The register holds reports made after 1 January 2008; older reports are only partly included.
• Questions about a specific registration go to the police force where you made the report.

Search your own bike in the register a couple of weeks after reporting to confirm it appears. If it does not, contact the police with your report number.

6. Insurance and replacing your bike

Rijksoverheid’s page does not cover insurance, so the rules depend on your own policy. Some people insure a bike separately; others have cover through a home contents policy. Read the conditions before you claim, including any requirements about locks and reporting, and keep your police report details at hand in case the insurer asks for them. For an overview of which policies people in the Netherlands commonly hold, see our guide to insurance in the Netherlands.

When you replace the bike, keep the new receipt and proof of ownership with the frame number, and complete the record in section 8 straight away.

7. Buying second-hand: check before you pay

The same register protects buyers. Before you buy a used bike, ask for the frame number and brand and check them on the RDW’s bike theft register. Keep in mind the RDW’s own warning: a “no” result means the bike is not registered as stolen. It does not guarantee the bike is legitimate, because a theft may not have been reported yet or the report may still be in its 10-day check.

Practical signs to look for: a seller who has no proof of ownership, a frame number that is scratched away, or a price far below what similar bikes sell for. Walking away is always an option.

8. Do this today: your bike ID record

The best moment to prepare for a theft is before it happens. Make a record for every bike in your household:

1. Photograph the frame number and write it down.
2. Note the brand, type, colour and chip number (if any).
3. Photograph the whole bike from both sides, plus distinctive details.
4. Keep the proof of ownership (eigendomsbewijs) from the shop.
5. Save everything in one place you can reach from your phone.
6. Note your municipality’s fietsdepot page and the police number 0900-8844.

For more on cycling rules, see our guide to Dutch bike light rules.

9. FAQ

Is it worth reporting a cheap bike?

Without a report, the bike is not in the national register, and the police cannot link a recovered bike to you. A report with the frame number is the only way the official system can return it.

I do not know my frame number. Can I still report?

Yes. Rijksoverheid advises giving as many characteristics as possible, such as brand, type and colour. Without a frame number or chip number, though, the police cannot return the bike to you if it is found.

How do I know if a bike I want to buy is stolen?

Search the brand and frame number on the RDW’s bike theft register. A “no” is not a guarantee, because recent thefts may not yet be registered.

My bike was taken by the municipality. Is that theft?

No. Removed bikes go to the municipal depot. Check your municipality’s website for how to collect it and what it costs.

🇳🇱 Dutch Corner

Sources

• Rijksoverheid: Fiets gestolen (depot check, online report or 0900-8844, frame/chip number, automatic registration; checked 29 Oct 2026)
• RDW: Controleren of een fiets gestolen is (register search, 10-day check, reports since 2008)
• Politie: Aangifte of melding doen (reporting forms)