Lapland police are investigating a long-running wave of alleged reindeer theft that left one herder with only 17 animals after his herd was repeatedly taken in the early 1990s. According to the report, Central Criminal Police later revisited the old case, and similar alleged reindeer offences are now being handled in court. Prosecutors have described large-scale, planned thefts carried out over years, with charges brought against 18 people. The reindeer thefts allegedly worked on the ground by removing animals from herds until large numbers disappeared without anyone being caught at the time. In the early 1990s case, the missing herd loss forced the herder into financial hardship, with bills that ended up in enforcement proceedings. Those were only fully paid off this autumn. The wider court matters also point to alleged wrongdoing beyond theft. Prosecutors say the same series includes attempts to claim compensation using incorrect information, including compensation related to predator damage and other reindeer damage claims. The report ties the scale of the alleged financial harm to large sums, and notes that last year the state paid about 10 million euros for predator-related losses involving reindeer. The story also highlights why investigators say it can be difficult to prove reindeer theft. A reindeer can be taken easily, but proving it was stolen is harder. Alongside these theft allegations, the report describes disputes within reindeer herding communities and how local power and decision-making can matter for access and influence. It also mentions a separate case in the Muddusjärvi herding area where officials have been accused in court of offences including breach of duty and discrimination, and where the alleged harm involved a disappearance of about 80 reindeer in a short time. The latest status is that prosecutors have brought charges in the major Lapland reindeer theft case, and the cases are being processed in court.