During the past week, there have been several explosions in the Stockholm area.
The police have found several hand grenades and now they have a theory as to why the use has increased.
– Criminals are looking for other opportunities, and hand grenades could be one such, says Jon Wåhlander, operational director of the National Bomb Protection.
In recent days, several acts of violence have shaken the Stockholm area with explosions in Södertälje, Sollentuna and Upplands Väsby. In several of these cases, remnants of hand grenades have been found at the site.
– At the moment, it seems that access is relatively good because we see frequent use of hand grenades in particular, says Jon Wåhlander, operational director of the National bomb protection to P4 Stockholm.
“Stores hand grenades at home in the girls’ room”
But the grenades are not only discovered in connection with explosions.
– We have also seized the majority of hand grenades before they have been used, says Jon Wåhlander.
And the hand grenades that have been seized are found in increasingly strange places.
– It has been established that serious criminals have home environments, but it can also be at the homes of, as we have been in several cases, the homes of young people, young girls completely unknown to us who keep hand grenades at home in the girls’ room.
The police’s theory about the hand grenades
Now the police have a new theory as to why hand grenades are being used more and more often.
– Some companies have had their permits to handle and store explosives revoked. The industry itself has begun to clean itself up and is taking significantly greater responsibility today to take control of commercial explosives, says Jon Wåhlander to P4 Stockholm.
The work to limit access to explosives has been successful, but it has had other consequences, says Jon Wåhlander.
– Yes, but I want to say that last year it has been successful. But it can also cause criminals to look around for other opportunities, and hand grenades could be one such thing.