The decline in the number of home burglaries continues in the province. There was only a significant increase in 2022, and that was mainly due to a real burglary wave in Meppel, but that is now over. In 2022, the police registered a fivefold increase in the number of home burglaries in Meppel: 130. That was the largest increase in the whole of the Netherlands. Last year that dropped to 25, meaning Meppel now has the largest drop in the number of home burglaries in the whole of the Netherlands.
There has been a decline of more than 20 percent across Drenthe. Burglaries from garages, sheds and theft of bicycles and vehicles have also decreased.
Shops and companies in Drenthe have become victims of burglaries more often for the second year in a row. Burglars struck about 12 percent more often at companies and 18 percent more often at shops. In Assen, shoplifting has again increased by more than half. In 2022 there was an increase of 65 percent, last year it was 52 percent.
On the other hand, pickpockets have become more active in Drenthe. They struck for almost half as much last year. They strike especially in Assen and Meppel.