Although the explosive squatters rarely strike in the Netherlands, it is still very important that the police keep an eye on them, says Johan van Hartskamp, national portfolio holder. “The explosives used by the explosive crackers also lead to major risks in our country. The explosives used are assembled and stored in our neighbourhoods, in homes, businesses and garages. In addition, the explosive squatters drive at very high speed on the highways to avoid the police.”
The police suspect that about 500 men, mainly living in the Amsterdam and Utrecht regions, are responsible for the lion’s share of the explosive raids in the Netherlands and abroad. In Overvecht, a man was killed in 2020 while practicing a thud.
“They work in varying composition. Sometimes people drop out because they are apprehended or crash and die during their flight. But they are effortlessly replaced by new growth’” says Van Hartskamp. “We will continue our efforts to track down perpetrators, but more is needed to solve the problem. That is why we work together with partners such as the Regional Information and Expertise Center (RIEC) and municipalities to prevent young growth.