The rise in car thefts in the Netherlands, with the Toyota RAV4 leading.
The Netherlands witnessed a significant increase in the number of car and vehicle thefts during the first half of 2025, with 3,645 passenger cars reported missing, an increase of over 20% compared to last year, according to Stichting VbV for insurance monitoring.
The financial damages resulting from these thefts amounted to approximately 64 million euros, an increase of 23 million euros compared to 2024. The thefts of minibuses also rose by 10%.
Despite a decrease in motorcycle thefts by approximately 5%, they remained the most targeted category, with 4,813 motorcycles stolen during the first six months of the year.
The most preferred car among thieves was the Toyota RAV4, with 232 cars stolen, an increase of 30% compared to 2024. The thefts of the Kia Sportage also saw a sharp rise, from 19 to 82 thefts.
The police have recovered more than 7,000 stolen vehicles since the beginning of the year, 90% of which are within the Netherlands, in addition to more than 100 vehicles found in Germany and Belgium.