Police deny ignoring 20 percent of crime reports; MPs outraged

One in five reported crimes are never investigated by the police, RTL Nieuws reported on Tuesday based on their own research. Members of parliament are shocked. The CDA wants a debate on the issue.

RTL Nieuws examined 360 thousand crimes reported to the police over nearly 2 years. Only 37 percent, 134 thousand in number, of reported crimes are solved - suspects were arrested and appeared in court or were punished in another way. This especially includes serious crimes such as murder, manslaughter or aggravated assault.

In 42 percent, 153 thousand, the police launched an investigation, but eventually did not find enough clues to find the perpetrator. These often involved burglaries and muggings.

With 21 percent, 76 thousand, of the reported crimes, the police did nothing at all. The figures show that car thefts in particular are often not investigated. Three quarters of the reported car thefts were almost instantly pushed aside.

CDA parliamentarian Peter Oskam calls this "astounding". The CDA announced that they will request a debate on the matter. Oskam told RTL that the figures explain why citizens are less and less willing to report a crime.

According to Magda Berndsen of the D66, these uninvestigated crimes are not consistent "with previous promises made by the minister. "That number is way too high." It was previously stated that each person reporting a burglary will hear what is happening with the investigation within 14 days.

Gerrit van de Kamp of police union ACP told RTL that politicians "wrongly created an expectation that the police can handle all returns". According to hime, it can not be helped that there are tens of thousands of reports that the police can't get to.

According to the police, RTL Nieuws is drawing wrong conclusions from the obtained information. The police say that the crime reporting system BOSZ is not suitable to measure performance.