The number of stolen passenger cars dropped by 9 percent compared with last year, and insurers reported lower claim costs as a result. Light commercial vehicles and motorcycles followed the same downward trend. Mopeds were the exception. Their theft numbers increased by 10 percent, making them the only category to show growth during this period.
Impact
With fewer cars stolen, insurers faced a lower claims burden. The total cost of claims for passenger vehicles fell, and the average payout per stolen car also decreased. The average claim amount was €16,489, reflecting the overall reduction in losses. Claims for motorcycle thefts declined as well, while costs for stolen light commercial vehicles remained largely unchanged.
Popular Targets
The list of most‑stolen car models changed noticeably. The Toyota Corolla Cross became the most targeted vehicle, overtaking the Toyota RAV4, which had held the top position for several years but is now stolen less frequently. The Toyota C‑HR also appears less often in theft reports. Other models shifted position too. The Kia Sportage dropped sharply and only remains in the top ten, while the Renault Captur (J5) climbed to third place.
Edwin Karelsen, director of the Vehicle Crime Insurance Bureau Foundation (VbV), described the overall decline as encouraging but noted that “criminals adapt quickly”, as shown by the changing model rankings.
Light commercial vehicles and Motorcycles
Among light commercial vehicles, the Ford Transit Custom/Tourneo Custom remains the most stolen model, followed by the Mercedes‑Benz Vito. In the motorcycle category, newer models are particularly attractive to thieves, though clear trends are harder to identify due to the wide range of brands and model years.
Abroad
Authorities recovered fewer stolen vehicles than last year outside the country, too. Cars, commercial vehicles, and motorcycles together accounted for several thousand recoveries, with a portion found outside the Netherlands. Germany and Belgium remained the most common locations for cross‑border recoveries, continuing a familiar pattern.
@anp | NEWSBRAINPORT
