Photo taken on May 23, 2017 shows the night view of the Old Town of Sweden's capital Stockholm. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Swedish police have got the green light to use sound-detecting microphones as part of their efforts to combat crime in some troubled suburbs of Stockholm.

The microphones will be placed in several areas within the Jarva district in the north of the Swedish capital, newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported on Thursday.

"I know that the New York Police Department has used microphones for a long time and with great success," said Joakim Soderstrom who is responsible for the police's camera surveillance operations.

"As far as I know, this is the first time that a Swedish police authority gets the permission (to use microphones)," Soderstrom added.

The hidden microphones will be able to pick up sound from shootings, explosions and the crushing of glass. They are also able to detect screaming. The microphones will be connected to the police's headquarters and on-duty officers in the area will receive text messages or emails if a suspected serious incident occurs.

Last week, the Stockholm County Administrative Board also approved the continued use of surveillance cameras for another five years in Rinkeby, Tensta and Husby, three Stockholm suburbs that have been marred by shootings, riots and gang crime.

In 2013, Husby made international headlines after violent riots broke out there and Swedish police now classify it as one of Sweden's 23 "particularly vulnerable areas". Such areas are marked by high levels of crime and social problems as well as threats against police and, in some cases, a significant presence of violent extremists.