Steen Christensen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Steen Viktor Christensen (born 1964) is a Danish criminal, who was sentenced in Denmark in 1992 to twelve years in prison for numerous bank robberies, hostage taking, and rape. In autumn 1997 Christensen was allowed to go on an unguarded holiday, during which he escaped to Finland.

On 22 October 1997 Christensen robbed the Hotel Palace in Helsinki, and during his escape from the hotel, he shot two police officers, Eero Holsti and Antero Palo, on Tehtaankatu. The incident caused a spectacular chase in Finland. Christensen was caught in Hämeenlinna, when he was leaving the Hotel Vaakuna. He had been living in the hotel under the name Kim Anderssen. Christensen said the motive for his robbery had been lack of money.

Christensen was sentenced to life imprisonment, and is serving it at the Herstedvester prison in Denmark. He was also sentenced to pay the families of the police officers he killed, the state treasury, and the watchman at the Hotel Palace a total of almost 275 000 Finnish mark (about 46 300 euro) and to pay a life support of 3873 Finnish mark (about 651.40 euro) per month to one underaged child. The sum consists mainly of family pensions and compensation for mental suffering. As well as the costs for the biggest criminal chase ever in Finland, the state had to pay the trial costs of over 62 500 Finnish mark (about 10 500 euro). The incident caused a great deal of conversation in Denmark about what sort of prisoners can be allowed to go on holiday from the country's incarceration facilities and under what grounds.

In prison, Christensen married a Finnish woman in 2002 who gave birth to their child.

The Finnish rap musician Steen1 originally chose Steen Christensen as his artist name, but changed it to Steen1 after getting his first record deal, because of too much controversy.