Tallinn burglaries: police apprehend two minors linked to ten incidents
Police have detained two young men who burgled shops and restaurants in Tallinn and stole cash, electronics and scooters.
Two minors linked to dozens of burglaries in North Tallinn
According to Google News EE — Crime, police have identified two young men — aged 16 and 13 — who have burgled multiple shops and food establishments in Tallinn since the end of August, damaged property and stolen cash and valuable items.
According to Lea Bärenson, head of the Western Harju police district, the boys operated primarily in the North Tallinn and City Centre areas. "The youths burgled mainly shops and restaurants, breaking their doors and windows. Everything that was easy to take became booty — cash, small electronics and electric scooters. In addition, the young men smashed the windows of several vehicles in the North Tallinn area," explained Bärenson.
Police began searching for the youths immediately after being notified of the first theft. Evidence was collected from crime scenes, witnesses and victims were interviewed, and CCTV recordings were reviewed. Police officers also conducted surveillance of the described areas to locate the boys.
As a result of incident analysis and mapping of the youths' possible movement routes, the two boys were traced on 1 September in North Tallinn. The 16-year-old was detained on the spot. The 13-year-old fled on foot when he saw the police officers, but a drone helped locate him near a nearby construction site.
"Based on the information gathered so far, the boys are linked to approximately ten theft episodes and several acts of damage. We have established that there were five youths in the group in total and we are investigating what role each of them played in the offences," said Bärenson. The amount of material damage caused will become clear during the investigation.
Both young men have previous contact with police. The prosecutor applied for the detention of the 16-year-old, but the court did not agree. The court has been asked to direct the 13-year-old to closed residential care services (KLAT), but no decision has yet been made.
Bärenson stressed that directing someone to a closed institution is a last resort for minors. "Our goal is for the child to receive the necessary support to break out of a bad circle. Unfortunately, changing some children's behaviour requires a more strictly controlled environment," she said. According to the district head, police will continue working with the youths and their families after detention, in cooperation with the local authority, school and other specialists.
Police urged anyone to report incidents immediately and provide any available CCTV footage. "The sooner information reaches police, the sooner we can intervene. Similarly, notice should be given if young people are seen moving around the streets at late hours who are trying to gain access to buildings or other people's property," added Bärenson.
Source: Google News EE — Crime (et)