punkfolkrocker, if you or the missus can drive, they have tiny cars in the Netherlands that are only for disabled people or people old enough that they can't drive; they're called Canta. It might be worth scoping out the possibility of getting one.
The cat robbers are in action in Ireland too. And there's a particularly nasty rash of bicycle robbery, with associated violence at times.
I thought robbery like the cat converters was stopped in Britain since the UK brought in the law that all scrapyard dealings had to be via credit cards; obviously it hasn't worked as well as it did at first. Unless the thieves can bring it abroad or detach the precious metals in their own workshops.
Insurance… mostly people on bikes and scooters don't need it, because accidents serious enough to trigger insurance claims are rare for those using those low-tech travel methods.
However, motor insurance and tax, which are often avoided by drivers, should (in my humble opinion) be added to the cost of fuel. That way, the more someone drove, the more he'd pay, and the scammers couldn't avoid paying.