Police receive 200 tips after hologram shown in 2009 Bilthoven rape case

Authorities say they have received around 200 tips since unveiling a hologram of a suspect in a 2009 rape case in Bilthoven. Police stressed that DNA from the perpetrator is available, meaning they can confirm whether a suspect matches the evidence, and again urged anyone with information to contact them.

A 3D hologram of the rape suspect was displayed in the center of Bilthoven on Monday. The image was created based on the memories of the victim, a girl who was 15 at the time of the assault in the Panbos woods.

The 3D hologram depicts a man who was roughly 1.80 meters tall in 2009, with a stocky build and light eyes. He had dark, messy hair and appeared unshaven. According to the description, he wore a striking blue tracksuit jacket with white stripes, spoke fluent Dutchm possibly with a slight accent, and smelled of alcohol.

Following an earlier appeal in December 2025, several names were put forward, but none matched the DNA material that investigators had from the perpetrator. A 10,000 euro reward remains in place for the tip that leads to an arrest.

Police say it is possible that men living in the Bilthoven area will soon be asked once more to voluntarily submit DNA, either to rule themselves out or to help identify the offender.

The victim was cycling home from school on September 4, 2009, around 1 p.m., traveling from Bilthoven through the Panbos toward Bosch en Duin when she encountered the suspect on the bike path. As she rode past, he seized her and threatened to hurt her if she refused to follow him into the woods. Once there, he placed a garbage bag over her head and raped her.

In an emotional letter, the victim urges the offender to come forward, reminding him that she was only 15 when the crime occurred. After so many years, she says she is still seeking justice and hopes to make a clear statement.

This week, police also highlighted the case on the TV program Opsporing Verzocht and on Bureau Hengeveld, the regional investigative show broadcast by RTV Utrecht.

Police used a similar 3D model in 2021 to identify a man who raped two girls, aged 13 and 15, near basement storage units in Schiedam and Vlaardingen in 2010. A viewer recognized the suspect as a former colleague, leading to his arrest and a seven-year prison sentence last year.