In Estonia, young people often steal from stores. There are now more thieves than before.
The age of thieves is 12-16 years. Most are under 14 years old because they cannot be punished.
Young people take items from shelves and bypass the checkout. They put the items in a bag or pocket.
Cosmetics are the most frequently stolen items. Young people do this under the influence of social media.
Some also do it out of boredom or because of family problems. They don't want to go home.
Parents often don't know what their children are doing. Among the thieves are also children from good families.
The number of thieves in Estonia is stable, but the number of repeat offenders is growing. They resell stolen goods.