Proving that the Netherlands doesn’t monkey around when it comes to theft of their beloved fietsen (bikes), leaders of an international bike-smuggling ring now face jail time.
The two main men behind the operation will get a total of five years in prison, whilst a third will do two and a half years, according to the NOS.
Stealing bikes and transporting them to Poland
Although bike theft is as common as bitterballen in the Netherlands, these thieves took things to another level.
The Poland natives involved in the smuggling ring would nab Dutch bikes and then ship them all the way to their home country for some work. 👀
Using garage boxes owned by prime suspect Krzystof R, the men would then replace the frame numbers with fakes.
Some of the brands that were taken on an unwilling journey across Europe include Jan Jansen, Gazelle, and Sparta.
“This is a criminal organisation,” says prosecutor
Despite the defendant’s lawyer, Otto Bondam, branding the penalty too “heavy”, the Dutch authorities were unimpressed.
READ MORE | 5 things to do when your bike has been stolen in the Netherlands
According to the prosecutor, the fact that the suspects took bike trafficking to the international stage makes this different from ordinary theft.
Oh, well… points for dedication?
This isn’t the first time that the main suspect has landed in hot water for his bike-napping skills.
Krzystof R and his chief accomplice Arkadiusz M were first nabbed in 2017 when Dutch authorities first picked up the trail of their two-wheeled shenanigans.
After being released the first time, they were arrested again in February 2021.
Whilst we’re all sure to breathe a sigh of relief that our bikes likely won’t be making any inter-Europe trips without us, we’re still going to be wary of all the quick-fingered cycle thieves that call the Netherlands home. 😉
What do you think of the authorities’ takedown of a bike-smuggling ring? Tell us all about it in the comments below!