Snow blower snatchers take Stockholm by storm

Sweden’s exceptionally snowy winter has police chasing a new class of thieves who may simply be looking for a way to give their weary backs a rest.

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Thefts of snow blowers have spiked in the Stockholm region in the wake of a string of heavy snowfalls, the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper reports.

In the southern Stockholm suburb of Tyresö alone, 18 snow blowers have been reported stolen in recent weeks.

“Having so many thefts is something new for me,” Börje Holmberg of the police in the southern suburb of Nacka, told the newspaper.

According to SvD, stores throughout Sweden are suffering from a shortage of snow removal equipment, including shovels and snow blowers.

Police are advising residents to be more careful about how they store the machines, which cost around 10,000 kronor ($1,450) and up.

“They should be locked up when they’re stored,” said Holmberg.

The wave of snow blower thefts comes as eastern Sweden prepares for another round of snow showers expected to sweep north across the region on Sunday.

According to meteorology agency SMHI, some areas along Sweden's east coast may receive up to 20 centimetres of snow by Sunday evening, with coastal winds 50 to 65 kilometres per hour expected to cause problems with blowing and drifting snow.

TT/The Local/dl (news@thelocal.se)

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