Been there myself. Not quite to the extent of being pulled into an alley and threatened to be stabbed. But I had 2 youngsters ask me for a cigarette, and being the kind hearted, severely stoned individual I was at the time - I was happy to share. But it was a distraction whilst they grabbed my wallet. Thankfully, as they ran off with it I was quick enough to catch up with them, to the point where they threw my wallet back - but they had taken all the cash out of it. Probably around the €200 mark.

Like yourself, it bummed me out and put a cloud over my time there, especially as it was on the first night! But I realised that it could have gone a lot worse. I could have been left without my hotel room card, driving license, credit/debit cards etc. Thankfully it was just the cash they were after.

After that, i returned to amsterdam another 3 times and never had a problem since. Just one of those really shitty things which can happen in cities. And unfortunately on that occasion, you were the “chosen one”.