These news just out: Armed robbery is down in Amsterdam and Rotterdam
There were 456 armed robberies in Amsterdam last year, a drop of 19% on 2009, the capital’s police chief Bernard Welten said on Monday.
And in Rotterdam, the number of armed robberies was down 10% at 379, the region’s police chief Frank Pauw said.
Both police chiefs announced the figures at their forces’ traditional New Year receptions.
The sharp reduction in armed robberies in Amsterdam comes a year after Welten had said a major effort was needed to reverse the trend, after a rise in 2009.
Two people were killed in armed robberies last year, including one jeweller who was shot dead. His death was a ‘low point’ in the city’s murder rate, Welten said.
In total, 19 people in the capital lost their lives through violent crime, compared with 29 in the previous year.
Now, keep in mind this is one of Europe’s major cities. We might not be as big as say, Berlin or Paris, but Amsterdam is certainly no small village.
Also, these figures are a great reminder for those who claim that tolerance towards soft drugs or sex work make a place more violent and dangerous.
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