Amsterdam has once again topped the AD’s crime monitor rankings, making it the most unsafe city in the country. Maastricht is in second place, like last year, while Rotterdam is third.

Amsterdam’s high ranking is due to the large number of muggings, pick pocketing and physical attacks, the AD says.

The city’s mayor, Eberhard van der Laan, said officials are working closely with police and justice ministry staff to bring down the capital’s crime figures.

‘Part of the criminality can be explained by the large number of tourists,’ he said. ‘They are more likely to be the victims of crime than its residents.’

Although the overall crime trend is down, in Maastricht the crime rate has actually increased, the AD says. The city not only has to cope with drugs-related crime, but there has been an increase in armed robberies, physical abuse and threatening behaviour.

Limburg

There are three Limburg cities in the top 10, the AD points out. Heerlen is in fifth place and Sittard-Geleen in 10th.

The safest places to live are Kapelle, Korendijk and Zuidhorn and the winner will be announced on television on Tuesday night. Last year’s winner, the Frisian town of Littenseradiel, lost its title because of a spate of car and property break-ins.

Figures from the national statistics office CBS at the end of last month showed the overall crime rate was down 8% last year. In particular, there were fewer burglaries, muggings, armed robberies and violent crimes.

The ranking is based on police crime figures and reports based on 10 common crimes and adjusted for the size of the population.