Teenager faces charges for violent robberies involving Vipps in Oslo, Norway

A 16-year-old boy is facing charges related to a series of violent robberies in Oslo, Norway, involving the mobile payment app Vipps. According to the indictment, the teenager committed six such robberies in under seven hours on a spring day in May. Throughout May and June, a wave of robberies targeting children in the capital using the app was reported.

Victims were initially asked to open Vipps on their phones before facing threats, which sometimes included knives or physical violence. They were forced to withdraw cash at nearby stores or ATMs. The teenager was arrested in June in connection with multiple robberies and was held in custody for four weeks. He is now set to appear in court on charges of violence, nine counts of robbery, and attempted robbery.

Out of the cases he is charged with, seven are related to the aforementioned Vipps robberies. The attacks involved random victims, with six occurring on a single day. The smallest amount stolen was 50 NOK, while the largest was 2000 NOK. In several instances, the robberies were interrupted when security guards were alerted.

The defense attorney, Cecilia Dinardi, stated that her client acknowledges guilt for several of the charges and is keen to take responsibility for his actions. She also noted that he is struggling but is determined to confront the situation and focus on moving forward after the case concludes.

Additionally, several minors aged 12, 13, and 14 were allegedly involved in the robberies but are under the criminal age and will be assigned to child welfare services. The trial is scheduled to commence on October 7 and is expected to last ten days.