Airbnb hosts in Sweden warned after homes used as brothels

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Police in Stockholm, Sweden, say there has been an increase in complaints
Pimps are creating fake profiles to rent homes for two to three weeks
Police usually tipped off by neighbours who notice men coming and going

Published: 04:56 EST, 9 February 2016 | Updated: 06:06 EST, 9 February 2016

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Airbnb hosts in Sweden's capital are being warned about a rise in the number of pimps and prostitutes who are turning properties into temporary brothels.

Stockholm police said pimps are creating fake profiles on Airbnb and other short-term accommodation websites to pose as legitimate customers and rent privately-owned homes for two or three weeks at a time.

The homes are then used as a place where sexual services are offered to clients in the owners' bedrooms, unbeknownst to them while they are away, said Simon Haggstrom of the police prostitution team.

Stockholm police said pimps are creating fake profiles to rent privately-owned homes for two or three weeks

Haggstrom told the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter that 'second-hand apartments' are now the most popular market for prostitution in the capital, overtaking hotels.

He said: 'People are naive. They should think some more about who they rent out to.'

Haggstrom said temporary brothels in the homes of holidaying owners are the work of organised crime groups with 'clear links' to Eastern Europe.

He said most of the women are between 18 and 23 and have been forced into prostitution after moving from countries such as Romania in an attempt to escape poverty.

In most cases, police are tipped off by neighbours who become suspicious of the activity next door after seeing men coming and going at all hours.

In Stockholm, second-hand apartments are now the most popular market for prostitution, said police

Similar claims surfaced about apartments in Manhattan in New York two years ago, and last year a woman from Lismore, Australia, said she was horrified when she learned from her neighbours that her home was used as a brothel by a guest who booked through Airbnb.

Pye Jakobsson, from Rose Alliance Sweden, which describes itself as a sex worker rights organisation, told The Local that pimps are taking advantage of unsuspecting property owners due to a housing shortage and a police initiative which trained hotel staff to spot sex-trade workers.

An Airbnb spokesman told MailOnline Travel: 'We have a zero-tolerance policy for issues like these.

'Over 70 million guests have stayed on Airbnb and issues for hosts and guests are incredibly rare.

'When we are made aware of issues, we work fast to help take care of hosts and guests and permanently remove bad actors from our community.'