Police in Western Uusimaa have captured an organized crime group targeting electronics and grocery stores across Southern Finland. The arrests followed a series of break-ins that occurred between September 8 and 22 during coordinated investigations with Southwest Finland and Eastern Uusimaa police departments.
Criminals broke into a Gigantti electronics store in Lohja and Power stores in Rauma and Järvenpää. They also targeted K-market supermarkets in Lieto and Lohja, plus a secondhand store in Masku.
Officers caught one suspect in the act when the crime ring returned to the scene. The group attempted another break-in at the Rauma Power store on September 22. Police had prepared for this move and interrupted the crime. Two additional suspects were arrested the next day in Turku.
All three suspects are Romanian citizens who were detained in late September. The case involves multiple burglaries across southern Finland during a two-week period.
Criminal Inspector Klaus Geiger said the financial gain from these crimes remained relatively small. Material damages were much higher because the thieves broke through walls to enter properties. Some attempted break-ins never succeeded.
The deadline for formal charges is December 4. The case will later proceed to the Southwest Finland District Court if prosecutors file charges.
Geiger told reporters that police believe another crime group was operating simultaneously in Finland. This second group also targeted electronics stores but used different methods. The group that struck a Gigantti store in Tammisaari on September 21 entered through the roof rather than breaking through walls.
According to Geiger, the second criminal organization appears to have gone underground following the arrests related to the Rauma Power break-in.
This case highlights how international crime groups move across Finnish regions. The quick arrests show improved coordination between different police departments, but the appearance of multiple groups suggests organized crime remains an ongoing challenge.