New Year's vandalism cost Rotterdam €500k

Vandalism in Rotterdam around New Year's cost the municipality at least half a million euros. This includes some 340 thousand euros and damages and costs in cleanup and repairs, Dutch newspaper AD reports. Around New Year's Eve vandals blew up 243 bins and set fire to 69 containers. Around three hundred road signs, railings and manhole covers were damaged or destroyed. Transporter RET sustain 25 thousand euros in damages, especially to bus shelters. On January 1st six young people started their community service because they set off fireworks outside the lighting times. The police reported 40 arrests. The number of incidents decreased from 381 to 276, but the number of violence and arson reports increased. The total amount in damages came out 60 thousand euros below last year's amount, but more people needed to be deployed to clean things up. Getting everything cleaned up and repairing or replacing damaged items will cost the municipality more than half a million euros, alderman Joost Eerdmans said to the newspaper. "All that from young people mischievously committing vandalism. Really, they and there parents need to think about how much expenses they cost the municipality", the Leefbaar Rotterdam alderman sayd. He has had enough of the New Year's vandalism. The alderman thinks that Rotterdam residents should no longer find the vandalism tradition normal.