A man shot dead near a cafe in the Kalversbos in Delft is a notorious city criminal named Karel Pronk, the Telegraaf and AD said on Tuesday afternoon.

The shooting happened outside Het Kalf coffee house shortly before midday. According to eyewitnesses, three to five shots were fired at the man, whom locals said was Pronk. ‘It was not a question of if, but when,’ one local told the AD.

Pronk has served jail time for murder, drugs and armed robbery and was known as the Haagse Holleeder, the AD said.

Delft has been hit by a string of violent incidents this year. In June, three people were arrested in connection with a series of shootings and a grenade attack in which a coffee shop, tanning studio, jewellery store and clothes shop came under fire.

Police believe the incidents, which all took place in the early morning, may be linked to a gangland turf war.

The AD said that there were rumours Pronk was the target in another shooting incident in April.