vindje.com / Guides / Bikes
The safest way to avoid buying a stolen bike is to check the frame number, ask for the original keys and receipt, and walk away from deals that are too cheap or too rushed. Bike theft is common in the Netherlands, and buying a bike you should have suspected was stolen can get you into legal trouble, not just lose you the bike.
Under Dutch law, buying goods you knew or could reasonably have suspected were stolen counts as heling. The police do check bikes, and if a bike you bought turns out to be stolen it can be taken back and returned to the owner, without you getting your money back. So the question is not only whether you feel the seller is honest, it is whether a reasonable person would have asked more questions at that price.
The good news: most bikes on Marktplaats are sold by ordinary people moving house or upgrading. A few checks separate them from the rest.
Every bike has a framenummer, usually stamped under the bottom bracket (turn the bike over or look between the pedals), sometimes on the rear dropout or the seat tube. Ask the seller to send a photo of it before you travel. A seller who refuses, or a frame number that looks filed, scratched or painted over, is a reason to stop right there.
With the frame number you can check the police-backed register at stopheling.nl, which lists bikes and other goods reported stolen. A clean result does not prove the bike is legit (not every theft is reported with the number), but a hit is a clear answer. Many newer bikes also have an AXA or similar lock key with a registration code, and e-bikes often have a registered battery and key.
Most stolen bikes are sold fast and cheap. Read the listing like a detective.
Questions do more work than inspection here. An owner knows their bike: where they bought it, roughly when, why the left brake squeaks. Ask a few and listen.
The original aankoopbon (receipt) is the best proof. Many sellers don't have it for an older bike, which is normal, but for anything above a few hundred euro, or any e-bike, you should expect it, or at least a bank statement or warranty card. Both keys of the ringslot should come with the bike. For e-bikes, also the battery key, the charger and, for brands with an app, a proper transfer of the bike to your account.
Write down the seller's name, phone number and the frame number, and take a photo of the bike with the seller's ID if they offer it. Pay by bank transfer or Tikkie at the handover rather than cash: it leaves a trace, and honest sellers rarely object.
Don't buy it, and don't try to play police. If you have a strong suspicion, for example the frame number shows up in the register, you can report it to the police at 0900-8844 or via politie.nl. If you already bought a bike and later find out it was stolen, contact the police yourself. Being open about it is much better than being found with it.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Gazelle or Batavus city bike, frame size 57, with both keys and receipt, under 300 euro, within 15 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
Ask for the frame number and check it at stopheling.nl, the register used by the Dutch police. Also ask for both lock keys and the original receipt.
Usually stamped under the bottom bracket, between the pedals. On some bikes it is on the rear dropout or the seat tube.
If you could reasonably have suspected it was stolen, for example because of a very low price or no keys, it can count as heling under Dutch law. The bike can also be taken back without compensation.
No. Many people lose receipts for older bikes. Combine it with the other checks: keys, frame number, price and how well the seller knows the bike.