Police corrects report over investigation into man who opened police car door

Police have corrected information given to Yle and said they have not launched a criminal pre-trial investigation into a man who opened the door of a police vehicle in Tampere. The case is instead subject to a preliminary inquiry.

Joni Länsipuro, chief superintendent at the Central Finland Police Department, said the earlier information was the result of a misunderstanding. A private individual had asked police to investigate a suspected attempted unauthorised use of a motor vehicle.

The man is therefore not currently suspected by police of attempting to use a motor vehicle without authorisation. Yle reported on Thursday that a formal pre-trial investigation had been launched, and several other media outlets repeated the report.

The correction followed a question from a Yle journalist to Länsipuro about whether the case should be described as a pre-trial investigation or a preliminary inquiry. Länsipuro answered that it was a pre-trial investigation and also approved the wording after reading the article before publication.

The incident happened last week in Villilä, a residential area of Tampere. A local man opened the door of a parked van that was running by the side of the road, saying he had approached it because he could not see anyone inside. A figure then appeared behind the front seats, pointed a pistol at him and ordered him to leave. The man left laughing.

It later emerged that the person pointing the gun was a police officer carrying out traffic surveillance alone. The officer is suspected of violating official duties and making an unlawful threat. State prosecutor Tapio Mäkinen is investigating that case, and the officer has been transferred to other duties.

Länsipuro said the police did not intend to cause harm by providing the incorrect information and welcomed the correction.