Domestic
Sharp Increase in Theft of Specialized Firefighting Equipment
There has been a significant national rise in the theft of specialized firefighting equipment, with 85 incidents recorded this year compared to 17 in 2024 and 18 in 2025. The TV program Opsporing Verzocht reported on Monday that stolen hydraulic spreaders, originally designed to rescue people from car wrecks, are now being used by criminals to destroy shutters and ATMs across Europe. Recent break-ins have targeted fire stations in Maarn-Maarsbergen, Rockanje, Vlaardingen, Maassluis, and Heinenoord, although some stolen items from Rockanje were later recovered.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's