The number of muggings in the Netherlands is down 20% in the first eight months of this year, compared with the same period of 2013.

There were 3,612 muggings up to the end of August, compared with 4,525 in the first eight months of last year.

This shows that a joint approach involving police, local authorities, companies and citizens works when it comes to reducing street crime, justice minister Ivo Opstelten said.

Opstelten’s ministry published the new figures on Sunday evening, ahead of a week-long campaign to try to get more companies to stop accepting cash and therefore reduce vulnerability to street crime.

Police figures released in August show a 4% overall drop in crime in the Netherlands in the first six months of the year.