Assaults Up 18% in Sisä‑Suomi in Early Months, Biggest National Rise

Assaults reported to police in the Sisä‑Suomi police area climbed 18% in the early months of the year, the sharpest rise among Finland's police districts, Tamperelainen reports.

Nationally, shoplifting also increased. Statistics Finland's crime and coercive measures statistics show about 19,900 shoplifting incidents were reported in April–June, up 7% from a year earlier. After Helsinki, Sisä‑Suomi recorded roughly 5,700 shoplifting cases in January–June.

Statistics Finland senior actuary Kimmo Haapakangas said thefts in the region surged during 2025 but have since stabilised at roughly last year's level. Assaults rose year-on-year across all local police units, with Sisä‑Suomi showing the steepest increase among the larger regions.

The increase follows earlier reporting on broader regional crime trends that highlighted several worsening offence categories and came after a period in May when police boosted city-centre patrols in Tampere to target youth alcohol and e‑scooter safety.