Dutch police will be supported by colleagues from Romania in the fight against pickpockets on King’s Day, Amsterdam’s police commissioner Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg told local tv broadcaster AT5.

Large events of this kind are known to attract gangs of Romanian pickpockets and the Romanian police offered to help out this year, AT5 reports.

Last year, on what was then Queen’s Day and the day queen Beatrix abdicated, the Amsterdam police received 800 reports of pickpocketing.

‘We do not want that terrible number again this year,’ Aalbersberg said.

At last year’s Gay Pride event in October, 42 out of 47 pickpockets arrested came from Romania. The police said they were operating in gangs and came to Amsterdam specially for Gay Pride when the streets are more crowded than usual.

King’s Day will be celebrated on April 26.