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– I thought it was my duty to stop the thief. In hindsight, I think it might have been dangerous if he had had a gun.
This is what the man who arrested a thief at Flekkefjord in Agder says with his bare hands early Saturday morning. The man wants to remain anonymous.
The photos of the basket roof that emerged were taken by GP and local historian Knut Sand Bakken. He always starts work early, even on Saturdays.
So at five o’clock, he sat down at the keyboard in the doctor’s office and did the paperwork. Suddenly he heard a loud noise and a glass in the street below.
– I went out to check. Then I saw a man standing and trying to break the door and window of the Jernia store with a cane, he says.
The Flekkefjord thief tries to break into the downtown hardware store.
Photo: Knut Sand Bakken
A real basket
Knut Sand Bakken is 74 years old and did not dare to stop the powerful man, but took a photo of him. Then he went upstairs to call the police.
They were in the neighboring municipality, but promised to come.
When he came out again, a neighbor had arrived. The man had been awakened by the noise. The two stood up and watched as the thief wandered inside the store.
– When he came out, he had a huge cash register in his hands. The man he was standing with took a photo, but then the man was furious, the 74-year-old says.
The thief threw down the safe and stabbed the neighbor who had been awakened.
Sand Bakken says a real basketball game took place in the streets this morning.
– I don’t know exactly how long they lasted, but it was both kicking and biting. Finally, the thief broke free.
He returned a short time later, probably to collect the cash register, but then the police had arrived on the scene.
They arrested the man.
Think the city is not safe
Sand Bakken estimates that it took almost 40 minutes from when he called the police until they arrived.
Think it is too much.
– When you are in the situation we were in, the minutes lengthen. I think the police have a large district. Create insecurity in the city and the local community, believe.
Flekkefjord Mayor Torbjørn Klungland (Frp) also believes that 40 minutes is too long if true.
– Police presence is very important. I think we should learn from this incident and take it with the police as a concrete example that this took too long, says Klungland.
Flekkefjord Mayor Torbjørn Klungland believes that it was too long before the police arrived at the scene.
Photo: Odd Rømmeland / NRK
Sheriff: – It didn’t take long
Asbjørn Skåland, Sheriff of Flekkefjord, disagrees with Sand Bakken and the mayor.
He’s not sure how long it took him exactly, but he still thinks 35-40 minutes are in.
– With the emergency preparedness we have, it often takes a long time before we are on site. At the same time, I understand that this is longed for by those who were involved in the incident, says Skåland.
He says that the person who stopped the thief showed great courage, but does not advise anyone to do the same.
– It could be dangerous. The assailant may have a weapon or be intoxicated. By acting like this man did, you put yourself in a vulnerable position.
Do you agree that Flekkefjord is an unsafe city?
No, I feel far from it. Flekkefjord is a safe and good place to live, says Skåland.
Asbjørn Skåland, a bailiff in Flekkefjord, believes he is all the way inside to spend up to 40 minutes before the police are in place.
Photo: Lars Eie / NRK
