Your car stolen in Tallinn?
The thieves will sell it back to you
One might think the number of stolen cars in Tallinn would decrease as the nation gets richer. It doesn’t look that way. In 2004, 1,357 cars were stolen in Estonia’s capital. In 2005, 1,446 cars were nabbed. And for the first six months in 2006, 586 cars were stolen.
Surprisingly, these numbers are roughly twice that of stolen car statistics in the early 1990s, when stolen vehicles could pass more easily to Russia. What’s the explanation? One possibility: it’s in fashion among thieves to steal your car and sell it back to you.
According to experts, the practice more often happens with cars which are not fully insured, as the fully-insured client is prone to tell the thieves to, well, to go find another buyer.
Another common problem in Tallinn (see photo) is the pilfering of tires and wheels. Almost no place is safe. This happens in the most exclusive neighborhoods. If you plan to visit Tallinn with your luxury auto, consider leaving your best tires and wheels at home.