Police statistics show stable overall crime, record low burglaries, rising drug offenses

Police recorded nearly the same number of crimes in 2025 as in previous years. ANP’s analysis of official police statistics shows that total crime has remained largely stable since 2022, with 806,000 incidents reported in 2025, up slightly from 805,000 in 2024.

Amsterdam recorded the highest number of crimes, with more than 81,000 incidents, followed by Rotterdam (53,400) and Utrecht (27,800). In relative terms, Amsterdam also leads, with almost 87 crimes per 1,000 residents. By contrast, Bronckhorst in Gelderland had the lowest crime rate, with just 14 offenses.

Compared to five years ago, crime has fallen in over two-thirds of Dutch municipalities. However, in slightly more than 100 municipalities, the police reported higher crime numbers than in 2020.

Residential burglaries fell to a record low in 2025. The police recorded approximately 21,600 incidents, over 800 fewer than in 2024, marking the lowest total since they started keeping track in 2012.

Residential burglaries have been falling for years. In 2012, when the police first began tracking these statistics, the total was still well above 90,000.

About half of the 20 largest Dutch municipalities experienced an increase in residential burglaries. Utrecht reported 626 burglaries in 2025, up from 399 in 2024. Zoetermeer saw a rise of over 50 percent, marking the highest number of break-ins since 2020. Meanwhile, Haarlem, Den Bosch, and Apeldoorn experienced significant decreases.

Amsterdam recorded the highest number of burglaries, totaling more than 1,500, followed by Rotterdam and The Hague. When adjusted for population, burglary rates were highest in Rozendaal, Bloemendaal, and Amstelveen.

While burglaries dropped, drug offenses reached their highest level since 2013, with 15,369 cases recorded in 2025, only slightly below the 2013 peak, which had just over 40 more.

The 14,390 drug offenses recorded in 2024 marked a ten-year high. In 2025, the total increased by almost 1,000 cases.

The police define drug offenses as the possession, distribution, or manufacture of illegal substances. As a result, the statistics cover individuals caught with drugs, those producing them, and apprehended dealers.

Police have maintained these statistics since 2012, with more than 13,000 drug offenses recorded annually on average. After peaking in 2013, the number of offenses fell, reaching 11,622 in 2017. By 2019, the figures were again above the average, at nearly 14,000 cases.

In the last four years, drug offense registrations have grown annually, rising by over one-third during this period.

With 1,483 cases, Amsterdam had the highest number of drug offenses, though this was almost 50 fewer than in 2024. Rotterdam, The Hague, and Eindhoven ranked next, as last year. Hilvarenbeek saw the largest numerical increase, with 126 more offenses than before.