The popularity of expensive sunglasses is increasing rapidly and criminals are only too happy to take advantage of this. Opticians are increasingly becoming victims of violent robberies. As long as the plangas continue to dominate on social media, it is expected that criminal gangs will continue to rob these types of things.
Since last year, the luxury sunglasses market has increased by approximately 20 percent in the Netherlands. While the most expensive sunglasses cost 700 euros five years ago, they now sell for an average of double that amount. So you can make quite a lot of money with sunglasses, as optician Jan Kik knows, who unfortunately experienced this in a negative way several times. “It’s not just shoppers. A certain guild also wants this, but not in a nice way,” he says in Stand van Nederland: Generation Next on NPO 2.
The sunglasses hijackers entered Kik’s business using a kind of fireworks bomb. Drawers full of expensive branded sunglasses were forcibly stolen. “It was a lot of misery. When you enter, you must first come to yourself. How are you going to restore all this properly?” Kik does not intend to close his business. “I won’t let myself be brought down,” he says.
Violent robberies
The robbery of Kik’s business is just one example. Opticians are being robbed more and more often. It is such a new trend that exact figures are not yet known. Crime reporter Jesper Roele does see that robberies of opticians are becoming increasingly violent. “Last year an employee was stabbed in Arnhem. A robbery with a weapon was also committed in Landsmeer,” Roele gives as an example. “Or in Amstelveen. An Uzi was used there in a robbery of an optician.”
According to Roele, it is starting to look like plangas are the new gold for criminals. “People are increasingly being robbed of expensive sunglasses in particular. Prices quickly rise to 1200 euros. At first, mainly watches were stolen, but now sunglasses are also a popular loot for criminals.”
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The crime reporter does not dare to tell who is behind the actions. “Watches often have organized gangs behind them. We can’t say anything about that yet, because it is a fairly new phenomenon. We don’t know yet whether they are groups or whether it is done to order.”
New jewelers
“It is said that opticians are the new jewelers for criminals,” says Roele. This is also evident from the safety measures that opticians are increasingly taking. “Shops put concrete posts in front of their doors to prevent ram raids.” In addition, opticians are increasingly installing security cameras or building in a lock door.
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Roele expects that this phenomenon will not change soon. “As long as the glasses remain popular and the price is high, the number of robberies will not decrease.”
Police help desperately needed
Bas de Nes also draws the same conclusion. He is director of NUVO (Dutch Union of Optical Companies) and is committed to a safe industry. “It will increase rather than decrease. The criminals will take advantage of this. There is a good chance that this will continue,” he fears.
De Nes reports every burglary to a high impact crime team of the National Police. “They include this in their quarterly consultations. It means that optics is unfortunately now also on the map there.” De Nes says he cannot handle it alone. “We can protect what we want and lock the store properly, but if it happens during the day, we really need the help of the police.”
Opticians are being robbed more and more often and in an increasingly violent manner. Do criminals see a new market in expensive sunglasses? What can be done about this and how do opticians experience this increasing threat?
Watch Stand van Nederland: Generation Next on NPO 2 on Saturday at 10 p.m.
By: Vick ten Wolde
