Child welfare entrepreneur Daniel Thomassen (35) commissioned youths to carry out the theft of jewellery and watches for him. The boys had to be ‘tough little bastards’, he wrote in a text message to the man who was to recruit them. Thomassen was sentenced to 10 months in prison for organising the theft of valuables worth NOK 600,000–1,000,000.
Daniel Thomassen is trained as a social worker and, at the time the theft was carried out, was a co-owner of Omsorgskollektivet in Kristiansand. The institution provides, among other things, child welfare services. After the theft, Thomassen transferred his shares to his brother Finn Thommasen. They represented 53 per cent of the ownership.
Utenfilter.no named the man, who holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and is regarded as the leader and organiser of the operation. Avisen Kristiansand has also covered the case.
The break-in took place on 29 June 2025 on Flekkerøya in Kristiansand. The premises belonged to Diamanthuset AS/Vestberg AS. Thomassen planned the theft with a man born in 2005. Thomassen had recently happened to meet the owner of Diamanthuset while out in town and had been given a tour of his home, Utenfilter writes.
The younger man found two youths to carry out the theft. It was these two who broke into the premises and made off with jewellery, bracelets, watches and rings.
The prosecution estimated the value of the theft at more than NOK 1 million. But the court based its assessment on Thomassen’s valuation of NOK 604,000 and estimated that the stolen goods were worth NOK 600,000.
Agder District Court sentenced Thomassen to ten months in prison. The young man who recruited two youths for the crime also received ten months. The youth born in 2007 was sentenced to one year and three months, six months of which were suspended, with a probationary period of two years. The youth born in 2008 was sentenced to 82 hours of community service.
This is not the only connection between child welfare institutions and criminals to have emerged in recent times. The A-crime centre (A-krimsenteret) recently found that 16 companies associated with child welfare have links to criminal networks. Several child welfare institutions lost their licences to continue operating.
The judgment is not yet final. Thomassen has indicated that he is considering whether to appeal.
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