Systematic thefts jump 25% in first half of year
Compared with other crimes, systematic thefts grew the fastest in the first half of this year, Justice Ministry says. They were registered a quarter more often than during the same period last year.
A systematic theft is a petty theft committed at least three times within a short period. Most of these are shoplifting cases.
Mari‑Liis Sööt from the Ministry of Justice said this rise in systematic thefts is not unique to Estonia. The same trend is troubling Europe more broadly, where shoplifting and organized retail theft have reached their highest levels in decades.
"If we look at Finland, the UK and several other countries, theft numbers have increased there as well," Sööt said.
As for why theft has increased, she said we can only speculate. One reason may be that the cost of living has risen.
"Criminal networks have also become more professional. Interpol and Europol say this," Sööt added.
Taivo Rosi from the Tartu Police Department said repeated petty thefts have kept police busy for years. It is difficult to claim they have suddenly surged.
"In grocery stores, people pay for part of their goods and leave some items unscanned. When such reports reach the police, it becomes clear fairly quickly that this is no longer a case of customer forgetfulness but intentional behavior — a kind of invoice optimization. They pay for the cheaper goods, leave the expensive ones unscanned at self‑checkout and walk out of the store with a straight back and a proud face," Rosi said.
According to him, people still steal the same things as before: expensive food and alcohol from grocery stores, and costly construction and gardening tools from hardware stores.
"We can also mention the well‑known light vehicles and bicycles, which the police have been talking about for years," Rosi added.
Ministry of Justice statistics show that a total of 14,600 crimes were registered in the first half of the year — a six‑percent increase compared with last year.
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Editor: Argo Ideon
