Almost twice as many explosions were recorded in Amsterdam last year compared to 2022, with children as young as 12 suspected of planting the devices.

City authorities said teenagers were recruited through apps such as SnapChat or Telegram, with the promise of easy money from criminal gangs.

Nearly three-quarters of the 44 people prosecuted in the wake of explosions in the last two years were under the age of 23.

In 2022 there were 100 incidents in the capital, but last year the number surged to 197. The highest concentration of explosions was in the Zuidoost, Nieuw-West and Oost district.

City mayor Femke Halsema said that the blasts damaged people’s trust in government as well as their neighbourhoods.

“The consequences for residents are considerable,” she said. “Whole facades are destroyed and houses are rendered uninhabitable.

“The risks for the perpetrators are huge. These sort of attacks are reckless and thoughtless.”

Shootings were down by 40%, while just 11 deaths were attributed to violent crime, a new record low for the city.

However, the number of stabbings was up by 50% to 143. Many suspects were under the age of 18, prompting police, prosecutors and the city council to voice fears about a “new generation” of criminals emerging in the capital.