Repeated explosions in Espoo's Kurttila – resident called police seven times
Police launched a major operation in Kurttila on Thursday evening due to suspected firearm use. According to a man living in the area, disturbances have continued for years.
Police operation in Espoo: suspected firearm use triggers search in Kurttila
Police sent nearly ten patrols and drones to Espoo's Kurttila on Thursday evening at approximately 7.30 p.m., when a loud bang was heard from the area. Iltalehti.fi reported that police received a report of a man who allegedly fired a firearm in the woods between Mustalahti and Kurtinmäki. Despite the search, no one matching the report was found.
Detective Inspector Jonna Arifullen states that the investigation is continuing.
"We are still conducting preliminary investigations into this matter, so that if we can find out more precisely what happened there," Arifullen says.
Arifullen also says she has heard that the area has previously experienced strange noises, but police do not have more detailed information about it.
A local resident, who has called police about disturbances seven times, told Iltalehti that the area has been troubled for a long time. According to the man, loud bangs – such as fireworks – have been set off repeatedly in the evenings, particularly near a local school and sports fields.
"They are quite substantial bangs, so if they are regular fireworks, they are probably combined," the man states.
According to his observations, the perpetrators are estimated to be 12–13-year-old young people who travel on electric scooters. The activity usually stops by 9 p.m.
"This has been going on for about two years," the resident says.
In addition to the loud bangs, other vandalism has occurred in the area: fireworks have been placed in rubbish bins, traffic signs have been damaged, rocks have been thrown at apartment windows and doors have been broken.
According to the resident, police patrols have barely intervened in the disturbances despite the alerts. He suggests that the perpetrators could be identified using security cameras at a nearby school.
"I suppose it is considered a fairly trivial problem," the man speculates.
On Thursday, suspicion of firearm use triggered a large-scale operation – unlike the previous reports. The resident even jokes that next time he should perhaps mention shots fired so that help arrives at the scene.
Source: Google News FI — Crime (fi)