Stalking in Utrecht — How to Prove What the Police Cannot See

When someone controls your life from the shadows

Stalking is one of the most invasive violations of personal safety. In Utrecht — whether you live in Lombok, Tuinwijk, Wittevrouwen, or Oog in Al — having someone systematically monitoring your movements, sending unwanted messages, or appearing at places you frequent transforms your daily life into a source of constant anxiety. You change your routes, avoid certain streets, and check your mirrors more often than any driver should.

Under Article 285b of the Dutch Criminal Code, stalking (belaging) is a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of three years. Yet many victims find that the police struggle to act effectively. Stalking typically consists of many individual incidents that, viewed separately, may seem minor — a message here, a sighting there — but together form a suffocating pattern. The Midden-Nederland police will register your report, but building a prosecutable case requires documented evidence of the systematic nature of the behaviour.

Why professional documentation makes the difference

A stalking investigation by SAJ Recherche focuses on what the criminal justice system needs: a documented pattern. The investigation typically includes:

• Timeline construction: mapping every known incident chronologically with dates, times, locations, and methods used
• Digital forensics: preserving threatening messages, emails, social media contacts, and call logs with metadata
• Background investigation: researching the stalker’s identity, address, previous behaviour patterns, and any restraining orders
• Surveillance: documenting the stalker’s physical presence near your home, workplace, or other locations you frequent
• OSINT analysis: investigating whether the stalker is using fake accounts, tracking apps, or other digital tools to monitor you

The resulting report presents the full pattern in a format that prosecutors and judges can act upon. At the District Court of Midden-Nederland in Utrecht, such documentation regularly proves decisive in obtaining restraining orders and criminal convictions.

Building your evidence from day one

Even before engaging an investigator, you can strengthen your position:

• Keep a detailed log of every incident, no matter how small
• Save all messages, voicemails, and emails — do not delete anything, even if the content is distressing
• Take screenshots of social media activity before the stalker can delete it
• Note the dates and reference numbers of all police reports
• If possible, install a doorbell camera or dashcam to capture uninvited visits

This personal documentation complements the professional investigation and creates a more comprehensive evidence file.

Practical example from Utrecht

A woman in Oog in Al was stalked by her ex-partner for months after their separation. He appeared at her workplace on the Vleutenseweg, sent messages from constantly changing phone numbers, and created fake social media profiles to monitor her activities. Despite multiple police reports, prosecution did not materialise due to insufficient evidence of a systematic pattern. SAJ Recherche documented the full scope of the stalking through digital research, linking the fake accounts to the ex-partner, and surveillance. The report was submitted by her solicitor, and the court imposed both a contact prohibition and a geographic exclusion zone.

You deserve to live without fear

Stalking thrives on the victim’s isolation and silence. A professional investigation breaks that dynamic by placing facts on the table that authorities and courts can act upon. You do not have to endure this alone.

Are you being stalked and need evidence to take legal action? Get in touch with SAJ Recherche for a confidential consultation.