Police in Finnish Lapland report that pickpockets seem to be specifically targeting tourists visiting Rovaniemi.
The Lapland Police Department is currently investigating around 20 pickpocketing cases in the small city, but so far has been unsuccessful in tracking down any of the perpetrators.
According to police, the thefts have mostly been reported in the city's centre and in the Arctic Circle area, which are popular with tourists.
The coordinator of the city's Santa Claus village theme park, Antti Nikander, confirmed that pickpocketing incidents are a problem.
He said that thieves were carrying away distracted tourists' bags at Santa's workshop area, adding that the criminal operation appeared to be "systematic" and "well organised".
"[The thieves] wait for people to put down their things to take a photo or for some other reason. Then they come from two directions and escape in a getaway car," Nikander explained.
Yle asked local police to confirm the matter, but the department said it could not comment on the details of individual cases under investigation.
Started in December
Police did confirm that reports of pickpocketing incidents started coming in as the tourism season began at the beginning of December.
It is not yet known how many thieves are circulating in the area or whether they are working together, according to police.
However, police said they do have strong suspicions that the thieves came to Rovaniemi from abroad to carry out their crimes "professionally", because pickpocketing incidents only started in the past couple of weeks.
"I think word is spreading [among the thieves] that there are a lot of people in a small area at the moment," Chief Inspector Mika Lauri said.
"The thieves can smell the opportunities," he said.
Several of the cases involved tourist' wallets or phones being stolen from pockets or backpacks, according to police. But due to the tourists being bundled up in thick winter clothes, they don't notice being targeted by thieving hands.
According to Santa's village coordinator Nikander, victims often only notice later on that they've been robbed, which makes it more difficult for police to track down the perpetrators.
The Lapland Police Department said it has taken measures to increase the safety of tourists and residents, including by increasing surveillance.
Police are advising people to secure their belongings when they are out and about.
"They can influence the success of their vacations with their own actions," Lauri said.