Nice trousers, matching polo, a bright yellow jacket and even a special badge: NS corporate clothing is only for employees. Nevertheless, the Frisian journalist Darshan Boerema managed to obtain work clothing from Dutch Railways without any problems. To do this, he went to the clothing warehouse in Den Bosch where his measurements were taken. “We were able to get the full outfit twice. Without e-ni-ge checking or identification,” says Darshan.
Darshan Boerema calls himself an investigative journalist and has a YouTube channel. He received an anonymous tip that you could make an appointment via a public internet link to order company clothing for NS, even if you are not an employee. Darshan found it strange that the link was public. “Would this be properly controlled? We were going to find out.”
After coming up with a name and filling in an employee number, Darshan was invited to try on clothes in Den Bosch. There is a fitting location of the clothing company Schrijvens Confectiefabriek, which supplies NS’s work clothing. Darshan supposedly visited as an NS safety service employee, which are the boas that NS employs to protect stations and platforms.
Once at the fitting location, the made-up data is not properly checked. “At one point I was sitting there on a chair. Then they said: your employee number is incorrect. Then I asked: oh, is that a problem?” It wasn’t, according to the fitting location employee. Darshan was only told to resolve his incorrect employee number with his team leader. The clothing was still sent as normal.
And then there was the mail. A perfectly tailored NS security guard outfit for Darshan. Then the investigative journalist from Friesland only had one question: would he be recognized? He put it to the test and went to Zwolle station as an NS security guard.
“I have done this before, including in enforcement, at PostNL and with ambulance clothing. Then I look on the street to see what impact such an outfit actually has,” says Darshan. “That didn’t go as well, because I was recognized from my YouTube videos. But the people who recognized me – they were from the NS – they thought it was so bizarre that it was so easy to get clothes.”
Darshan thinks it is bizarre and dangerous that it is so easy. “We also spoke to security experts and they even made the link with terrorism. There are a lot of people at stations. They are large, busy places. In times of terrorism you actually don’t want people who are not authorized to be able to get such an outfit. Let alone carry.”
After Darshan was recognized by NS employees at the station, he is taken to a separate room. He had to change clothes immediately. “It was good that I was recognized,” says Darshan, emphasizing that he had no malicious intent.
The NS is not happy with the YouYuber’s disguise trick and files a report against Darshan. But Darshan himself does not know what exactly he is accused of. “That report is still pending. I don’t actually know yet what they have filed a complaint against. I can imagine that they are filing a report for presenting myself as a civil servant in office.” According to a spokesperson for the NS, it is indeed about pretending to be a boa, which is a criminal offense according to the law.
Darshan has made a video about the clothing leak at NS. It will appear on his YouTube channel tonight at 5:00 PM.
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