In an email to all guardians and all leaders, AIK informs about “increased presence of criminal elements” on Skytteholm’s IP.
It concerns, among other things, people who wore bulletproof vests and in the letter it appears that the people are gang criminals.
– We have received information that there are criminals and criminal gangs on Skytteholm’s IP and people have also been seen with bulletproof vests walking around in the area. Then we felt that our responsibility as a football club is at least to inform parents and leaders about what we have gained and partly discovered in the area where we operate, says Max Bergander, responsible for sustainability and values in AIK.
How has it happened?
– I can’t actually answer that. We’ve been told that it’s happening, since an exact number of times it’s happened – I can’t answer that, but what we’ve gathered is that these are the types of people that are moving around the area.
How do you think about it being so? That there are criminals around your youth teams?
– It’s terrible, of course. It is clear that it is not a good thing. But at the same time, we see a development in the society where this is going on. It is what it is – but it’s very, very boring.
In the email, AIK gives an example of a situation that has arisen.
“A 13-year-old was asked if he wanted to earn extra money by leaving a package”.
AIK has been in contact with authorities, including the police, about what happened. For the club, it is difficult to overcome the problem.
– It is actually something that is up to the police and authorities to handle. Then of course we have talks with both the police and the city of Solna about how we can secure Skytteholm’s IP and make it as secure as possible, but mainly it is up to the authorities. We are a football club and we do what we can but we are neither a law enforcement nor an investigative agency. We can do no more than cooperate, says Bergander.
What do the police say?
– It’s almost a question you can ask the police, but it’s clear that they take this seriously. It is absolutely not something that they think feels good. And there are probably few in society who think that development is positive.
What reactions have you received from parents and youth players?
– No one rejoices in happiness from this. It is clear that these are reactions of concern, but that it is very good that we are on the issue and providing information. As a parent, you want to know what is going on. So for the most part it has been positive that White goes out with the information even if the situation is boring.
Have you been in contact with any other club that had similar concerns?
– It is the clubs around Skytteholm that have received the same information. I personally have not done it but I know that as a club we have sat together with others and with the police and discussed this.
Have the leaders said anything/received any pressure or the like?
– It is nothing that we have received information about and I am quite sure that we would have received that information if it had been so. At the moment, it’s about supporting and helping the leaders so that they know how to talk. But this is very new and we felt we wanted to get the information out there as it reached us.
In the email, it appears that the police increased their presence around Skytteholm’s IP after Bergander and security officer Henrik Koch were in contact with the municipality, Solna City.
The club also urges parents to talk to their children about how things are and how to act if the gang criminals approach.