According to the latest AD crime monitor ratings, Amsterdam is the most dangerous city in the Netherlands, followed by Maastricht and Rotterdam.
The results are in line with previous editions of the AD study. They are based on police reports of the 10 most common crimes, with rankings adjusted for city size.
AD notes that the gap separating Amsterdam and Maastricht is narrower than in its past reports.
This is partly due to a crackdown on crime in Amsterdam - through cooperative efforts involving the city’s police, public ministry, and others, the city’s crime rate has actually decreased.
According to Amsterdam’s mayor, Eberhard van der Laan, the heavy presence of tourists in Amsterdam accounts for a good deal of the city’s crime.
The most frequent criminal acts in Amsterdam include mugging, pick-pocketing and physical attacks. Tourists, more often than residents, are the victims.
Of the top 10 most dangerous cities in the Netherlands, three are located in Limburg: Maastricht (in second place), Heerlen (in fifth place) and Sittard-Geleen (in 10th place).
The crime rate in Maastricht has grown lately. Along with other regions of the southern Netherlands, the city is battling a relatively high instance of drug-related crime, as well as armed robberies, threatening behaviour and domestic violence.
The safest places to live in the Netherlands are Korendijk in South Holland, Kappelle in Zeeland and Zuidhorn, a district of small villages in the province of Groningen.
The latter, having taken action to reduce car theft and break-ins, was declared the safest area in the country.