Investigators have begun interrogating two men on suspicion of robbing thousands of euros worth of watches from the jewellery shop Mikonkulta in downtown Helsinki last Thursday.
The 18 and 34-year-old men were apprehended on Friday afternoon as a result of successful detective work, says detective chief inspector Jukka Larkio, the officer in charge of the pre-trial investigation.
The suspects were taken into custody from a car in Eastern Helsinki and did not resist the arrest, according to Larkio.
The loot, however, remains unaccounted for.
The two men arrested on suspicion of the jewellery robbery are Lithuanian citizens, MTV, the first news outlet to write about the arrest, reported. Larkio stopped on Sunday short of denying the report but refused to shed further light on the details of the incident.
He revealed, however, that investigators continue looking into the possibility that other people were involved in the robbery. Although the two suspects were apprehended only a day after the robbery, certain characteristics of the offence suggest it was planned by professionals.
“The robbery was planned in great detail,” Larkio said.
He cited operational reasons for refusing to shed further light on the course of the events in the jewellery shop on Thursday. The only shop assistant on duty at the time of the robbery sustained minor injuries in the incident. Larkio also refused to disclose how the perpetrators threatened the shop assistant.
Investigators have previously revealed that the perpetrators behaved aggressively and carried out the robbery in swift fashion.
Police have requested that the two men in custody be detained on suspicion of the robbery. The District Court of Helsinki is expected to mull over the request today on Tuesday.
Juho Jokinen – HS
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
© HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Photo: Kalle Koponen / HS
