Wines on the shelf at S-Market in Helsinki. Photo: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva
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Shoplifting in Helsinki has risen sharply, with thefts at one neighbourhood grocery store now costing tens of thousands of euros each year.
Mikko Karmakka, manager of the K-Market on Iso Roobertinkatu, said shoplifting has worsened significantly. “I’ve been a merchant for 20 years and I’ve never seen so much of it,” he told Svenska Yle.
Thefts range from people running out with bottles of alcohol to misuse of self-service produce scales. Items like vitamins and supplements are also frequently targeted.
“These are things that are easy to resell. Some do it regularly, often to pay for drugs or to offload large quantities,” Karmakka said, adding that many thefts appear professionally organised.
Figures from the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce show over 7,400 reported shoplifting cases in the city during the first five months of 2025. The same period in 2024 recorded 4,615 cases, marking a 60 percent increase.
Retail theft usually peaks in summer. The chamber warned that incidents are likely to rise further in July. It also noted that shoplifting not only causes financial harm but creates risks for store workers and customers.
“In a store of this size, we’re losing tens of thousands of euros a year,” Karmakka said. His shop is a small grocery on a pedestrian street in central Helsinki, mainly serving local residents.
Prosecution has often proven ineffective. Fines are commonly ignored and store managers say they lack the tools to respond effectively.
“Shoplifting is a crime, and it’s the ordinary customer who ends up paying for it,” Karmakka said.
A recent legal reform may change that. Individuals convicted of shoplifting six or more times can now face imprisonment. Previously, most cases resulted in fines.
Karmakka welcomed the shift but warned that enforcement must follow through. “It’s good the police are acting, but prosecutors must also take these cases seriously. If people don’t pay the fines, stricter penalties must follow. Otherwise serial offenders will keep going.”
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
