Police in Amsterdam have arrested some 100 shoplifters and pickpockets in city centre over the past five days in a major crackdown to coincide with the holiday season. .

Around 600 policemen were drafted in, in both uniform and plain clothes. The police also frisked more than 1,000 people and checked 133 vehicles. They confiscated 42 items including knuckledusters, cans of teargas, scissors and screwdrivers, news agency ANP reported