Espoo police report parents may be enabling juvenile crime

About 100 minors in Espoo are involved in organized theft, drug dealing, and violent crime, with some parents allegedly supporting their children’s illegal activities for financial gain, police told Finnish broadcaster Yle.

The groups—composed mostly of teenagers with immigrant backgrounds, though Finnish-born youth are also involved—operate primarily around shopping centers and transport hubs, targeting other young people, according to Detective Inspector Hannu Väänänen of the Western Uusimaa Police Department.

While thefts range from high-value brand goods to snacks, Väänänen noted that interventions by police, child protection services, and youth workers have successfully halted serious criminal behavior in 70–80% of cases. “When they grow up, the foolishness often stops,” he said, though new groups emerge as generations shift.

Some parents appear unaware of their children’s crimes, while others face broader family struggles. Väänänen confirmed “a few” suspicions this year of parents actively enabling offenses for economic benefit—typically in households with long-standing financial or parenting difficulties. “It doesn’t happen overnight that parents start supporting a child’s criminal lifestyle,” he said.

Western Uusimaa Police reported a decline in juvenile robberies in 2025, attributing progress to child welfare measures. However, early criminal patterns sometimes persist until age 15, when stricter legal consequences apply.

Espoo’s youth services downplayed the current scale of organized juvenile crime, with department head Tero Luukkonen telling Yle that only a small number of individuals exhibit such behavior. Cooperation between authorities remains strong, he added.

The issue resurfaced after Helsingin Sanomat first reported on the trend Thursday. Police anticipate potential shifts during summer break but currently describe the situation as stable.