The Organized Crime Unit (ΔΑΟΕ), known as the Greek FBI, has dismantled a criminal organization whose members carried out burglaries and thefts targeting jewelry stores, companies, shops and homes in Thessaloniki and Serres. According to reports, 11 people were arrested, including 5 already imprisoned in the country’s jails. A total of 20 cases were solved, while the financial benefit obtained by the organization exceeded 194,000 euros.
Read: Paros: Burglars steal money and jewelry worth 78,000 euros from apartment
The arrested individuals face charges including – depending on the case – formation of a criminal organization, armed robbery in collaboration, and multiple theft cases, both completed and attempted.
According to the investigation, the defendants, at least since September 2023, had joined a criminal organization and proceeded to commit burglaries and thefts for illegal financial gain.
How the organization operated
To achieve their goals, they had developed a specific methodology (modus operandi) and had divided roles among themselves:
- 8 of the defendants operated as operational members, who for their movements to and from points of interest alternated between “operational” vehicles owned by organization members,
- To hide the “operational” vehicles they used a closed underground parking space in a building in the Thessaloniki area as a “hideout,” while placing license plates that had been previously removed from other vehicles or fake copies,
- A 31-year-old female member of the organization had rented the parking space for the “operational vehicles” in her name, while also providing a vehicle she owned to facilitate the organization’s purposes,
- A 33-year-old and 23-year-old, tasked with finding fictitious owners for these vehicles. They proceeded to transfer ownership to people from the organization’s friendly and family environment, in order to hide the details of the actual owners and ensure unhindered gang activity.
Indeed, as established, the defendants were connected – in various cases – by family and friendly relationships among themselves.
Where they struck
As part of their activities, the organization members, from 04-09-2023 to 09-11-2023, committed a total of 20 criminal acts, specifically: robbery of a jewelry store, two burglaries of jewelry stores, shop burglary, company burglary, 5 home burglaries, car theft (from inside these homes), 8 thefts of state vehicle license plates, and attempted burglary of a church.
From searches conducted in homes and spaces in the Thessaloniki area, the two “operational” vehicles used by the organization were found and confiscated, as well as three other vehicles they used as means of approach and escape to and from the hiding “hideout,” before and after committing criminal acts.
The confiscated vehicles were sent for safekeeping to the competent Customs authority.
The arrested individuals, who have been involved in the past in similar and other crimes, were referred to an Investigator, while 4 of them were deemed temporarily detained. The investigation continues to determine the full extent of their criminal activity.
