Latest survey shows the Netherlands is getting safer

Over the last year, five per cent fewer criminal offences were recorded by Dutch police.

According to CBS, registered crime in the Netherlands has been showing a downward trend for a number of years now. A total of 1,14 million crimes were reported in 2012, whereas over 1,3 million crimes were reported in 2005.

What’s getting better?

Previous surveys have reported that theft and burglary are the most common crimes in the Netherlands.

Yet in 2012 the total number of larceny cases decreased by 22 thousand, with the largest drops in theft from cars (41 per cent fewer reports) and burglary of and theft from businesses (47 per cent fewer reports).

Public offence orders, including vandalism and street violence, showed the second greatest decrease, falling by 15 thousand or 16 per cent. Driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident also dropped, both by six thousand reports.

And what’s getting worse?

Some other kinds of theft, however, rose seriously. Reports of housebreaking showed an increase of 32 per cent, with Dutch police recording 5,5 house burglaries per thousand inhabitants in 2012. In 2005, this figure was 4,3.

In relative terms, most burglaries were recorded in the "Gooi en Vechtstreek" police region: 8,6 per thousand inhabitants. Friesland had the lowest rate at 3,1 per thousand inhabitants.

Other types of crime to rise were pickpocketing offences, by 23 per cent, and drug-related and fraud and forgery offences. As noted earlier this year, young people are more likely to the victims of crime.