Uninvited guests wreck paintings and steal cash at Tampere party

More than 200 young people turned up at a 16-year-old girl’s house party in Tampere on Saturday, damaging the home and stealing belongings, her father told Yle. He said guests punctured valuable oil paintings with a bladed weapon, broke dishes and glasses, and took phones and cash.

The father said his daughter had invited about 30 friends to the party, which was due to run from 7 p.m. until midnight. Information about it spread on social media, he said.

Other damage included a mirror thrown outside and smashed, an interior door torn from its hinges and damage to plasterboard walls. Some belongings were thrown into neighbours’ yards. A laptop was also taken, but another young person returned it later that night.

The father said he received messages shortly before 10 p.m. saying the party was going well. A neighbour contacted him after 11 p.m. to say there were many mopeds and cars in the yard. When he arrived, police had just cleared the home. He described the scene inside as a “complete disaster”.

He filed a police report on Sunday. Yle has seen a screenshot of part of the report. The broadcaster is withholding the names of the father and daughter to protect the minor’s privacy.

Police advise hosts to plan ahead

Police interrupted the party but made no arrests, said Pasi Nieminen, a chief inspector with the Central Finland Police Department. He said incidents in which house parties get out of control were familiar to police, though their number did not appear to be rising and may have fallen.

Nieminen said it can be difficult to establish what happened and that party organisers have an important role in identifying people who arrived without an invitation. He advised hosts to plan in advance whom to call for help, how to end a party and how to keep others from entering.

Nieminen said he did not have information on Monday morning about a possible police report or damage to the home and its contents.