Since the break-in wave with strong acids started at the end of May, 49 incidents have been detected. The police theory is that the crimes are carried out by foreign leagues.
According to information to TV4 Nyheterna, a Georgian thief is suspected and a suspected perpetrator has been identified.
– We will find out who is behind the crime in the end, but it may take time, says Monica Krüger of the border police.
The burglaries where criminals inject strong acid into lock bolts to break in silently continue. This weekend there were twelve acid burglaries in Stockholm and last night a new case was discovered on Kungsholmen in Stockholm.
So far, no arrests have been made following the incidents of the past few days. It is something that worries Kungsholm resident Gabriel Karlberg.
– I was actually out checking something in the stairwell today. I thought there was something that sounded. I’m probably a little more attentive in general now, he says.
The police: It may take time to find the thieves
Although the method is new in Sweden, it is not unfamiliar abroad. Since 2022, similar crimes have been detected in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium and Portugal.
The police suspect that those leagues have now made their way to Sweden.
– If it is foreign theft gangs that are behind the acid break-ins, it is clear that it will be much more difficult because they are not in our records from before. Fortunately, we have close cooperation with Europe, so we will find out who is behind it in the end, but it may take time, says Monica Krüger, inspector at the border police unit in Stockholm
Details: The police are chasing a suspect
According to information given to TV4 Nyheterna, the police have had a breakthrough in the investigation linked to the acid burglaries – and a suspected perpetrator has been identified.
A thief from Georgia is said to be behind the recent burglary, according to information, and the police’s investigative work is going on intensively.
At the same time, they are also working internationally with Europol to investigate whether it is the same league that has committed similar burglaries in other parts of Europe.
Only gold and platinum not corroded by the acid
According to the police, it is mainly nitric acid that is used in the burglaries. It is a legal and strongly corrosive acid that, according to Sara Sebelius, wins against most metal locks.
– The metals that resist nitric acid are gold and platinum. Not many locks, to my knowledge, are made of it.
A cheaper alternative is stainless steel, which according to Sara Sebelius is a good metal to bet on if you are going to invest in a new lock.
– It takes longer for the acid to dissolve stainless steel than many other metals. Then there is a greater chance that someone will discover the acid attack before the thieves get in, she says.