Man from Kuopio sentenced to three and a half years for multiple robbery offenses in Finland

A man from Kuopio has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for multiple robbery offenses by the North Savo District Court. Paulus Verneri Tuomainen received a sentence for three aggravated robberies, one robbery, and one attempted robbery. He is also required to pay approximately €40,000 in various compensation.

Tuomainen attributed his crimes to financial difficulties stemming from a gambling addiction. At the time of the offenses, he was playing in the academy team of Kuopion Palloseura. The robberies occurred between December 2023 and April 2024. The first incident involved a robbery at the Niiralan Sale store in December 2023, followed by an attempted robbery at M-Market Eväskulma in downtown Kuopio in January 2024. In February, he robbed the Sale store in Linnanpelto, and in April, he targeted Sale stores in Saarijärvi and Kelloniemi.

In all instances, Tuomainen was armed with a knife. However, in a written statement to the court, he denied threatening any store employees with violence, claiming the weapon was not intended for use. He stated his aim was to request money and to cease the act if denied.

The total amount stolen in the robberies was just under €2,500. The sentence is not yet legally binding.