5 members were arrested, while 2 more were identified – Jewelry, watches, mobile phones, vehicles, carbine, cartridges and 2,000 euros were confiscated, among other things
A criminal organization whose members committed burglaries in houses, jewelry stores and shops in Attica, Thessaloniki, Lakonia and Chalkida was dismantled by the Sub-Directorate for the Prosecution of Crimes Against Life and Property of the Attica Security Directorate.
In order to deconstruct the organization, a coordinated police operation was carried out in the morning hours of Tuesday, June 18, 2024 by police officers of the Property Crimes Department, with the assistance of OPKE teams, the Police Dog Companion Department and the Property Crimes Department of Thessaloniki Security Directorate, in Acharnes, Ano Liosia, Megara, Markopoulo Attica and Thessaloniki.
5 members were arrested, while 2 more were identified
In the context of the operation, -5- members were arrested, against whom, as well as -2- other identified persons, a case file was filed for -as the case may be- a criminal organization, distinguished thefts by complicity and in continuation, attempted and attempted robbery, weapons and violating residency restrictions.
In particular, as emerged from the multi-month investigation, in collaboration with the Security Sub-Directorate of Western Attica and the Security Departments of Kifissia, Markopoulos Attica and Sparta Lakonia, the above defendants at least since May 2023, had set up and joined a criminal organization that committed thefts in houses and shops.
How did they act?
As for the mode of action (modus operandi), they used a specific methodology:
Shoplifting (mainly jewelry stores)
- inspected the premises around the target store in order to ascertain its particular characteristics,
- they approached the store with business vehicles they had,
- with tools they had (sledgehammers, crowbars, drills), they destroyed the alarm siren, breached the protective mesh of the facade, broke the glass panel or breached the central door,
- they entered the premises, which they searched, breached any safes and removed sums of money, jewelry and valuables.
Thefts in houses
- they approached the houses – targets, at night, with their business vehicles,
- after verifying the absence or absence of tenants, they would jump over the fence and break balcony doors, windows or doors,
- they entered the premises, searched it and removed sums of money, jewels and safes.
Their roles
In addition, the perpetrators had covered their facial features and used gloves to avoid identification, while tampering with the real details of their business vehicles by removing license plates or placing on them other ones taken from other vehicles.
An important role in the cohesion of the organization and its smooth action was played by the fact that the members were connected with each other by close friendly relations, while they had a common origin and cultural origins.
They introduced themselves as police officers
A special feature of their “professionalism” is that they committed up to -5- thefts per outing, regardless of the area, while in cases where the elderly victims were inside the houses, the perpetrators presented themselves as police officers. At the same time, they did not hesitate in one case to use violence against an elderly woman, when she tried to call for help from her telephone device.
The roles
The leading member of the organization (32 years old), was present in the majority of burglaries-thefts, with the role of a chiller or even a natural perpetrator. He supervised his accomplices during the inspection of the premises, guided the selection of the stolen goods and gave the signal for the departure from the points.
At the same time, to maximize their effectiveness, there was a strict division of roles between the members (chillers, breach and entry members and drivers).
What did the investigations find?
In house searches and body searches, among other things, the following were found and seized:
- -2,055- euros in total,
- -8- vehicles, as products of crime and -1- as a means of execution
- multitude of mobile phone and tablet devices,
- number of SIM cards
- lot of hand jewelry,
- clock crowd,
- lot of car keys,
- a number of passbooks and bank cards,
- multitude of gold and silver jewelry,
- a lot of fake jewelery (faux – bijoux),
- number of cartridges,
- carbine,
- electric drill,
- -2- knives,
- deposit slip of 10,000 euros for the purchase of a plot of land,
- proof of collection of 5,000 euros, from a real estate agency for the closing of a single-family house with a plot of land,
- a number of clothes worn by members of the criminal group, during the commission of the thefts,
- state license plates and
- video recorder.
-55- thefts and -16- attempts at houses, shops and vehicles and -1- robbery were solved
From the investigation so far, -31- thefts – home burglaries, -5- thefts and 2- attempts at jewelry stores, -5- shop thefts, -2- vehicle thefts, -12- license plate thefts and -1 – robbery in a house, in the regions of Attica, Laconia, Chalkida and Thessaloniki, while the illegal economic benefit of the criminal organization is estimated at more than -1,050,000- euros.
The arrested, who have repeatedly engaged the Police Authorities for similar crimes, were taken to the competent Prosecution Authority, while the investigation continues in order to fully ascertain the scope of their criminal activity.
Source: Skai
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