International theft gangs are behind at least 50 percent of burglaries in Sweden, according to a previous estimate by the police. Despite this, the Customs Authority has not had the direct task of controlling exports across the border, even if they have had the authority to intervene if they happen to find suspected stolen goods.
Stop at the border
From September 1, this will change and controls will now be part of the agency's main task, at the same time as the new law on export fencing comes into force. The hope is that parts of the stolen goods can be stopped at the border.
Above all, it is a victory for the villa owners who are robbed and now have a chance to get something back, says Lena Södersten who has longed for this for years.
The organization has long demanded increased efforts against the theft gangs, which not only target homes where they have largely stolen jewelry, but also boats, cars, construction sites, companies and other places where valuables are found.
Low clearance
There is a lot of talk about volume crimes and everyday crimes, burglaries are an example of this. It is important that they are cleared up not only because people lose their things, it is also about confidence in the judicial system, says Lena Södersten.
Only about four percent of burglaries were cleared up in 2023, according to statistics from the Crime Prevention Council.
Now the customs authority must be given resources over time so that they can handle this task, and that the police then prioritize solving the crimes, says Lena Södersten.
