You probably know the NS safety employees: they all wear trousers and polo shirts with the NS logo and a neon yellow jacket. Darshan Boerema (23) from Heerenveen discovered how easy it is to walk exactly the same. He scored the complete outfit without identification or verification: ‘Unfortunately, this is not the first time this has worked’. The NS has filed a report against him.
Boerema got the NS outfit ‘deadly easily’, thanks to a tip he received as a result of his previous YouTube videos about companies that are too easy about issuing work clothing. “It doesn’t matter where you work at NS, you always have to go to Den Bosch for your company clothing. You have to make a fitting appointment for this, with a form that can be found online for everyone, regardless of whether you work there or not.”
Public form
According to him, that’s where things are already going wrong. “If such a form is simply public, there is often a rather unprofessional attitude behind it in terms of protocol.” He wonders how difficult it can be to send a fitting appointment to employees yourself. “That is still not foolproof, but at least a lot safer.”
Twice they managed to obtain NS safety clothing without a contract, employment number or identification. “I didn’t even introduce myself or demonstrate who I was there.” Even though the employee in Den Bosch noticed that my personnel number was incorrect, that was no problem. I was told to check with my team leader.”
Boerema then tried on the entire outfit and his measurements were taken. “When I asked again if I shouldn’t first call my team leader before they could send it, the answer was: ‘It’s Friday, that’s fine. We’ll just send it.'”
Following this incident, the clothing supplier and the Dutch Railways say they have taken measures.
The NS has filed a report against Boerema, because pretending to be a boa is punishable. In a response, NS told RTL Nieuws: “This YouTuber obtained the uniform fraudulently through our supplier. He was stopped by an NS Safety & Service employee and handed over to the police.”
Check it out
The Dutch Railways is referring to Boerema’s actions as a NS security guard at Zwolle station. The journalist went there to demonstrate how easy it is to pretend to be a security officer. He was quickly recognized there, ‘so I was only there for a short time’. The journalist knows about the report, but according to him, NS did not want to tell him what the railway organization is reporting.
Despite this, he says NS confirms his point with the declaration: “They say: what you are doing is really not possible. And that is true, that is why I am also reporting it. It is bizarre how easy this is.”
The fact that it is possible is serious, according to Boerema. “I spoke to a security expert about this, who says that you can make a link with the threat of terrorism.” He explains: “Places such as large stations are often targets of terrorist threats. If it is so easy to look like someone who should make people feel safe, people can take advantage of that.”
 scores workwear again, this time at NS: ‘Deadly easy’ | RTL News){kind=link}