Number of burglaries rising again as coronavirus lockdown eases: report

Burglary figures in the Netherlands were historically low during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, but are increasing again now that the measures against the spread of the coronavirus are easing again, De Telegraaf reports based on police figures. 

According to the newspaper, the number of home burglaries halved during the coronavirus crisis. In April this year, 1,383 burglaries were reported to the police, compared to 2,760 in the same month last year. In May there were 1,353 cases, compared to 2,700 in May 2019. 

But now that more people are out of the house again more often, the number of burglaries is rising again. In the first weeks of June, the police received 450 burglary reports per week, compared to 350 per week in the first weeks of May. That is easily linked to the relaxing lockdown measures, Sybren van der Velden of the National Police said to the newspaper. "Burglars simply do not want to get caught and especially strike when no one is home.

The number of reported burglaries is still below the average of 600 reports per week. "But I expect that it will only increase, so that we may be above 2 thousand burglaries again at the end of June," Van der Velden said. "Then we're almost back to the normal level of 2,500 in June.

According to Van der Velden, burglaries may even increase to above average levels as burglars try to make up for lost time. "The thieves have received no compensation for the recent lesser period," he said to the Telegraaf.