Published: Just now
In barely five years, the number of prosecutions regarding kidnapping in Fyrbodal has more than doubled.
The biggest reason is the cashless society, police chief Fredrik Brax believes, according to Bohusläningen.
Two men in their 20s were arrested on Monday on suspicion of attempted extortion and illegal deprivation of liberty in Munkedal municipality.
This is just one case in the series of kidnappings that took place in Fyrbodal, a so-called municipal area in the northwestern part of Västra Götaland County, which includes Munkedal.
So far this year, 28 prosecutions regarding kidnapping have been handled in Fyrbodal – that is more than a doubling of prosecutions since 2017 when the figure was 13. This is shown by a survey that Bohusläningen has done.
Nationally, the increase is around 20 percent.
Fredrik Brax, head of the police department for serious crimes in Fyrbodal, believes that the large increase is due to the cashless society:
– I think that this has led to an increase in human trafficking. We see that the traditional shop, petrol and personal robberies have decreased and I think this has to do with the fact that we handle less cash today compared to before. It is a worrying development, he tells the newspaper.
He says it is a means for the perpetrators to access large sums of money to finance their luxury consumption. But he doesn’t think it’s just about money.
– We have also had cases where there have been both sexual and revenge motives, as well as unpaid drug debts, but the most common motive is still finances, says Brax to Bohusläningen.