A man convicted of at least 750 burglaries in Norway has finally been jailed, after a new evaluation of his mental health concluded that he could be held responsible for his actions.
Despite being linked to hundreds of thefts by DNA evidence, CCTV footage and even being caught in the act, the British-Norwegian has been sitting pretty in a law loophole for years, having been told he is too ill to be imprisoned but not ill enough to be sent to a psychiatric institution.
According to police, the man has committed more than 100 crimes at offices, shops and restaurants over the past six months alone, mostly taking small items such as mobile phones or computers. After the new conclusion was drawn by the court-appointed psychiatrist, he will now be held in custody for at least a month while his most recent misdemeanours are investigated fully.
Speaking to Aften newspaper, Rikke Morck, from the Bolivar Brasserie & Bar in Majorstuen, said they have suffered several break-ins at the hands of the accused. “It’s just incredible he’s been allowed to get away with this for so long,” she said. “We must be able to protect the public from a person like this. I’m a lawyer myself, and this has defied all feelings of justice.”
“This is a great relief,” added prosecutor Vegard Rodas. “He has caused a lot of damage to many businesses without us being able to react effectively.”