Three people carried out a brutal home robbery at a property in Ullern, Oslo. A woman was held captive, and her underage son was subjected to violence. Five people have been arrested in connection with the case, but none are in custody.
Three weeks have passed since the brutal home invasion took place in Ullern, west Oslo.
On 5 October, a short article appeared in *Dagbladet* with the headline: Was going to sell an expensive handbag – was robbed. A woman and her underage son were subjected to robbery, unlawful detention and violence in their own home.
Three robbers forced their way into the property. A driver waited in the getaway car outside. A fifth person planned the whole thing. All five have been arrested, thanks to a vigilant neighbour with a camera. But all have been released.
The case has virtually been solved. The robbery was premeditated. Only one of those arrested is a minor. However, the fact that none of the perpetrators are in custody is causing concern among both the robbery victims and their relatives, as well as the owner of the hire company that rented out the getaway car.
Document has put the following questions to the police, without receiving a reply:
- Why are the five suspects not in custody?
- How can you be sure that it is safe for the robbery victims and the car hire company if the robbers are able to move about freely?
- When is the case due to come before the court?
As far as Document is aware, the robbers and assailants hold Norwegian citizenship. However, none of them are of Norwegian origin. They are described by eyewitnesses as being from Somalia and the Middle East.
The robbery
It began when the woman living in the Ullern property put an expensive Hermès handbag up for sale on Finn.no.
She received a response, and a potential buyer dropped by on Friday 2 October to look at the bag. The potential buyer said he would think about it over the weekend, which did not seem unusual, given the high price of the item.
By Monday, he had decided to buy the handbag and wanted to come by during working hours. The woman replied that he would have to come after 4.00 pm.
When the doorbell rang at the agreed time, it was not the same man who had visited on Friday. He said he was the brother. When she let him in, two more men burst in.
One held the woman down and covered her mouth with his hand, whilst the other two ransacked the flat for the Hermès bag and other valuables they could steal. The family’s youngest son, aged 17, was at home on the floor below and wondered what was going on. When he tried to intervene, he was knocked down.
The getaway
Outside, the getaway car was waiting – a Fisker Karma sports car manufactured in 2012 and 2013, with a retail price at the time of 1.3 million kroner. The driver had the engine running.
The robbers were running out of time and sped off with valuables, including the 17-year-old’s mobile phone.
A neighbour noticed what was happening and managed to take photographs of the robbers, the car and the number plate.
Two of the robbers got into the car. A third robber fled on foot in a different direction.
The police noted the car’s registration number, and an alert was raised. The car, with the driver and two of the robbers, was stopped on the E6 at the exit for Hvam in Nes municipality, Akershus.
Later, the man who had originally made contact to buy the bag was arrested, as was the third robber, who had fled on foot.
Everyone is afraid
“I think we’re getting mixed up in something we don’t want to be involved in,” says the owner of the car, a car hire company in the Oslo area.
Document had asked for the names of those who had hired the car.
The car hire company had been contacted by the police, who had informed them that the car had been seized and could be collected.
Such seizures could happen from time to time, often due to drink-driving. However, the owner was unaware that this was because the car had been used as a getaway vehicle in connection with a home burglary.
“It’s a strange car to use in a robbery,” said the owner, “as it’s a distinctive car that people tend to notice.”
As the robbers remain at large, neither the car owner, the victims of the robbery and violence, nor their relatives wish to have their names published. Document has learnt that this is out of fear of reprisals from the robbers.
However, they are pleased that Document is taking up the case and asking the police why the robbers have not been remanded in custody for the brutal home robbery.
