Man smashes gaming machines in Tampere Veikkaus arcade
A man caused extensive damage to gaming machines at a Veikkaus arcade in Tampere on Tuesday, livestreaming the incident before being detained by police. The Pelaamo gaming hall, located in the Ratina shopping centre, has been closed for at least two days following the incident.
The man, who appeared to be in a state of rage, used a hammer to smash nearly all of the arcade’s slot machines, according to footage shared on social media. Iltalehti reports that he shouted and swore during the rampage but repeatedly stated he did not intend to harm anyone. The original video was published on Tuesday afternoon at around 1 p.m. (Ilta-Sanomat).
Veikkaus’ Head of Communications, Tomi Auremaa, confirmed that the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon. He stated that the Ratina Pelaamo will remain closed until at least the end of Wednesday while the extent of the damage is assessed. Iltalehti notes that, based on the video, nearly all machines sustained screen damage from forceful hammer blows, though the full cost of repairs is not yet known.
Police in Eastern Finland have confirmed they responded to a disturbance matching the description of the incident. The man was detained in what Iltalehti describes as a controlled arrest. Authorities are investigating the case, though they have not disclosed the exact time of the incident (Ilta-Sanomat).