Elin Holmqvist, acting head of the Skellefteå local police area.
More police cars than usual have been spotted on roads in and around Skellefteå in recent days. According to information obtained by Norran, this includes plainclothes officers and special operations teams.
The increase in the number of police officers deployed has been gradual, says Elin Holmqvist, acting head of the Skellefteå local police area.
– But the increase has been most noticeable for us this week. It is not a significant increase, but there is an increased police presence, she says.
Reinforcements have also been brought in from other locations to assist.
– It's mainly our own personnel, but we have had reinforcements from within the county where we work closely together.
Holmqvist stresses that there is no risk to the public, as the measure concerns individuals within criminal circles. However, residents of Skellefteå are urged to be observant.
– The public are our eyes and ears and can help us spot things. Get in touch if you see something that stands out. Trust your gut feeling. Ask yourself, 'What is this young person or individual doing? Do they have a nervous demeanour?' Let us know if something stands out; incoming tips are followed up on continuously, 24/7. If it's happening right now, call 112. If you've noticed something after the fact, for example, when you passed a person, you can tip us via our e-service or by calling 114 14.
Norran has previously reported on two teenagers who were remanded last week on suspicion of planning a serious crime somewhere in the Västerbotten region. The pair were arrested in Gothenburg and later remanded at Umeå District Court on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public devastation.
– According to information received, the crime was allegedly planned to take place in Skellefteå. Norran has also learned that further arrests are believed to have been made in Västerbotten.
– Holmqvist would neither confirm nor deny whether the case is connected to Skellefteå.
– I cannot comment on that, either way. As for the preliminary investigation, I have to refer you to the serious crime division of the police.
– She also declined to comment on whether anyone has been arrested in Skellefteå in recent days.
– Our mission as the local police is to be proactive. Our goal is to prevent, stop, and solve crimes before they occur. We believe we have taken the appropriate measures to achieve that objective.
How long will the increased police presence remain in place?
– It’s hard to say. There’s no clear end date; we're assessing the situation day by day. We have the capacity to maintain this level of readiness over time and will continue to make ongoing assessments.
Any final message to the public in Skellefteå?
– As we’ve communicated before, the criminal environment is not exclusive to big cities. The pressure is higher there, but these issues also exist in smaller towns and affect the entire country. We urge people to stay alert to anything unusual and to reach out to us.
– Norran has reached out to Marcus Danielsson, head of the serious crime unit at Västerbotten police, for comment but has not received a response.
Do you have more information? Contact Norran at 0910-577 00, email redaktion@norran.se, or message us on Facebook or Instagram.