Property crime down in Netherlands

RIJSWIJK, Netherlands, July 18 (UPI) -- Crime in the Netherlands dropped in 2004 overall, with violent crimes becoming a larger percentage of the total.

Expatica reports that there were 1.32 million reported crimes, down 4 percent from 2003. Violent crimes made up 9 percent, up from 6 percent.

Only 63 percent of the crimes were property offenses, down from 69 percent in 2003. Another 16 percent were offenses against public order and vandalism and 10 percent were traffic violations.

Police classified 21.1 percent of the offenses as solved, up from 20 percent the previous year. They attributed the rise to the increased percentage of violent crimes, which are more likely to be solved.