Police: 1,500 more reports of missing persons this year compared to 2019

In 2017, the police received approximately 21,500 reports of missing persons in Sweden.

Now, three years later, the number has increased by more than 4,000 reports to 25,750, according to the police.

This year, almost 1,500 more applications have been received than in 2019.

- But it is not spectacular but a normal increase, says Anders Leicht who is responsible for the rescue service at the police to SVT News.

Have you done any analysis on why it is increasing so much?

- No, there may be several explanations.

There is probably a greater propensity to report today where we from the police are really trying to push to call directly and report, do not wait.

The time factor is usually absolutely crucial.

"Bring your mobile phone with you in all situations"

He also believes that people are more worried today than in the past when they are expected to be connected all the time.

- The mobile phone is included in all situations and if people do not answer then you get worried.

If you have not been active for a few hours on social media, the anxiety intensifies as if you are not there, then you will not live.

At the same time, the police have only kept national statistics on the number of disappearances since 2015 when the police changed from 21 different authorities to a single one.

- It was too big an apparatus to have all registrations nationally then.

Then statistics like this are not always so prioritized by the police.

Pandemic a cause?

At the same time, the corona pandemic has changed most things this year.

Has it affected this year's reports?

- In terms of statistics, we can not say that the pandemic had any impact, says Leicht.

Bengt Gustavsson, police commissioner at the Stockholm region, where most disappearances are reported, believes, however, that the pandemic may have affected.

- It is of course too early to say but it may be partly due to corona and that people are more worried, he says.

Missing People, who often help the police in search operations, are also on the same track.

- An explanation for this may be the corona pandemic and the mental illness it has created.

People have been forced to sit at home, partly isolated, and this has affected relationships, says Claes Salomonsson, press officer at Missing People.