Robbers strike at Ziggo Dome: thousands of concertgoers frisked upon departure, several arrests
Visitors to the Ziggo Dome were again targeted by multiple phone thieves on Tuesday evening, for the second time in a week. At least ten devices were reported missing. Several suspects have been arrested, a Ziggo Dome spokesperson reported.
A rare occurrence at Amsterdam's pop music venue: after the concert by the British band Architects, the thousands of visitors are not allowed to leave the venue immediately. Security has set up around ten checkpoints at the exits, where everyone is thoroughly frisked. "We've heard from visitors that they found this extra security check to be positive," the spokesperson reports.
"It's happened again," a security guard sighed to a reporter present about the stolen phones. He didn't have many details. "We don't have exact numbers yet, but it's a significant number of stolen phones again."
The Ziggo Dome is fed up with criminals specifically buying tickets for metal concerts to exploit the crowds. Last week, dozens of phones were stolen during Parkway Drive's performance, a band that, like Architects, gets its audience moshing (making wild arm movements while dancing to hard rock and heavy metal, ed.).
"They snatched it from my pocket three meters from the stage," says visitor Henno, who was also at the Architects show. "I still had my hand in my pocket, but at the service desk, it turned out I was the umpteenth person." Henno filed a report, but the police were unable to help him. Only his phone case was recovered; there's no trace of the device.A
week later, history repeats itself. During the Architects concert, known for loud music and energetic mosh pits (areas in the venue where the audience mosh, ed.), pickpockets again exploit the chaos in the crowd. Both during and after the performance, several visitors reported missing phones at the service desk. The Ziggo Dome immediately decided to take drastic action: no one was allowed to leave the building until they had been thoroughly frisked.
Thanks to this measure, several suspects have been arrested. His identity is still unknown. "We cannot provide any further details, so as not to disrupt the ongoing investigation," the Ziggo Dome reports. Concert organizer Mojo reports ten stolen phones, but this number is expected to rise, just as it did last week.
Further investigation will reveal whether the arrested suspects also struck last week. Phone snatchers are typically part of larger gangs that attend international metal concerts to steal fans' valuables.
Despite the situation, many visitors are responding positively to the organizers' decisive action. "Great to see you've clearly learned from last week," one fan wrote on the Ziggo Dome's Instagram page. "Frisk searches at the exit are unfortunately absolutely necessary. I won't get my phone back, but maybe someone else will, thanks to you tonight."
Several Facebook groups are also full of praise. "There were so many theft reports that they frisked EVERYONE at the exit. I've never experienced that before, but that's really great, isn't it? I hope they catch them. kudos to the security," wrote one visitor on Dutch Metalheads. "So many phones gone again? Unbelievable. I already thought it was strange that we couldn't just go outside because of a check," another person wrote.
The Architects concert itself proceeded without any major incidents. The British band delivered an energetic show full of hard-hitting songs, creating what is likely the largest wall of death in the Ziggo Dome's history. At the end of the performance, the venue split in two. A vast emptiness formed from the left bar to the right, before the crowd charged back together at the moment of the breakdown .
Amsterdam police were repeatedly asked for comment last week about the series of phone thefts, but have so far not responded. Another metal band, Disturbed, is scheduled to perform at the Ziggo Dome next Tuesday.
It's unclear whether any measures are being taken yet. The Ziggo Dome had already warned concertgoers for Architects. "Given the nature of the show (lots of movement and crowds in the pit), we issued extra warnings about pickpockets via screens throughout the building before and during the concert. We advise visitors who are missing personal be
longings to keep an eye on iLost."
