One in four gasoline thefts occurring in Greater Helsinki area

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Based on the statistics of the first six months of the current year, the number of gasoline thefts has increased sharply in the Greater Helsinki area when compared with 2004.
      Last year, police recorded some 1,300 gasoline thefts in the capital area. In comparison, a total of 837 similar offences had been reported to the police by the end of June already.
      At this rate, the increase in gasoline thefts will be at least 20% compared with the previous year.
     
While drastic gasoline price increases are bound to provoke gasoline thieves, many of them are habitual criminals without a permanent job or even a home. "Such people do not care whether gasoline costs a euro or EUR 1.40 per litre", notes gasoline retailer Matti Varelius.
      According to Senior Constable Pekka Rahkamaa, many of these thieves have already previously committed other offences, including crimes against property in particular. Some of them do not even have a driving licence, or it has been taken away.
     
The worst wave of thefts is focusing on the Helsinki metropolitan area. More than one in four gasoline thefts in Finland occur in the Helsinki, Vantaa, and Espoo region.
      The highest number of motorists who tank up and drive away without paying has been detected in Helsinki's neighbouring city of Vantaa. A total of over 1,000 gasoline thefts have been recorded in this city over the past 18 months. In comparison, just 900 gasoline thefts have been reported in Finland's considerably larger capital city in the course of the same time.
      In Espoo, the number of gasoline thefts has been lower - just some 200 offences have been recorded over the last 18 months.
     
It is estimated that around ten fillings without paying take place all around the Greater Helsinki area each day.
      On the other hand, an exceptionally high number of gasoline thefts are recorded in the eastern districts of Helsinki, equalling the number of thefts in the entire city of Espoo in the course of the last 18 months.
      Particularly the suburbs of Herttoniemi and Myllypuro attract gasoline thieves, with a large number of filling stations within reach.
      Another reason for the high number of thefts in these eastern districts is their social structure and low income level.
      A special project was launched at the beginning of the current year to prevent gasoline thefts in the metropolitan area. The police and petrol retailers have listed ways to reduce the number of thefts, including security systems with digital surveillance cameras as well as gasoline pumps which can be operated only by using a card, or which can be locked.
      In any event, petrol retailers are calling for tougher sanctions against thieves and suggest that the confiscation of the thief's vehicle would be an appropriate punishment for such crimes.
      Annually, these gasoline thefts represent a deficit of about EUR 4 million to Finnish petrol retailers.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Large number of MPs would cut fuel tax to keep pump prices in check (8.9.2005)
  Gas price spike will be immediate and abrupt at Finnish pumps (2.9.2005)

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