The criminal organization has been active since at least 2021 – How they identified their targets and how they operated
Disrupted by the Police criminal group, whose members are involved in cases of high-profile thefts and house robberies.
Five people were arrested for the case, four foreigners and one Greek, aged 44, 45, 27, 37 and 28 years respectively and a case file was filed against them, as the case may be, for criminal organization – gang, distinguished cases of theft, robbery with complicity, legalization proceeds of crime, radio spectrum monitoring – non-public transmissions and to regulate matters relating to arms, ammunition, explosives, explosive devices and other provisions.
As emerged from the police investigation, those arrested at least since December 2021 had formed a criminal group with the purpose of committing criminal acts and specifically house burglaries, in the wider urban complex of Thessaloniki, in order to obtain illegal financial benefit.
Characteristics of their mode of action were:
· The selection of “targets” usually near public markets, where, taking advantage of the absence of the tenants, the apartments were always entered in the morning hours, without traces of violation,
· The adoption of counter-surveillance measures, such as surveillance of targets, changing clothes before and after the commission of criminal acts, as well as dangerous driving while escaping,
· The rental of space, which they used as a laboratory for copying security keys, applying methodology practices for unlocking doors without traces of tampering as well as hiding stolen goods and
· Mobile phone videotaping of potential victims as they enter their homes, mainly capturing the type of key and the location of the home.
With this methodology, during the period from mid-December 2021 to mid-December 2023, they committed four burglaries and one robbery in houses, in various areas of eastern and western Thessaloniki, removing a total of 171,850 euros in cash, jewelry and a double barrel.
In the context of a coordinated police operation, which took place in the early hours of yesterday (11-12-2023), in the houses of the perpetrators in the areas of Toumba, Sykeon and the center of Thessaloniki, as well as in the laboratory, which they kept in the area of Polichni, the above were located and arrested perpetrators, while in addition the following were found and confiscated:
– The amount of money of 14,455 euros and 100 US dollars,
– a variety of watches, jewelry, mobile phones and electronic devices,
– safe,
– two portable transceivers, tuned to the frequencies of EL.AS. and additional portable intercom transceivers,
– a number of burglary tools
– revolver and 17 cartridges,
– TOKAREV brand pistol and cartridges,
– three air pistols,
– multitude of knives,
– professional security key cutting – duplicating machine,
– professional fixed base drill for detailed drilling,
– professional security door breaching device,
– electric grinding devices with a number of accessories,
– a number of house door keys of various types and brands,
– multitude of tools,
– a number of “uncut” house door keys of various types and brands, intended for copying keys,
– a number of house door keys of various types and brands with obvious external tampering – interventions, improvised burglary tools of various locks and types, lock mechanisms of armored doors, umbilical doors,
– four mobile phones,
– seven wigs and
– a rifle, which was identified as a weapon taken in one of the cases.
In addition, a total of five vehicles were confiscated that were used by the members of the group to go to the places where the illegal acts were committed, to escape from them and to transport the stolen goods. It is noted that the majority of the perpetrators have in the past concerned the Authorities for related crimes, while for the 28-year-old Greek, it emerged from the police investigation that with money that came from his illegal activity, he proceeded to purchase an I.X.E. car worth about 12,000 euros.
Those arrested will be taken to the competent Prosecutor, while the investigation continues into their possible involvement in similar criminal actions.
