Galery

1

A gang of pickpockets in the center of Athens, who acted for five months around the metro station captured the police. 56 men and 16 women, most of the from Romania and several women from Bulgaria, aged between 18-50 years have stolen hundreds of purses and mobile phones from passengers on the subway. Part of the gang was also a 26-years old employee of a security company hired by the subway, who was warning them of the presence of policemen. According to initial information the group was also involved a driver of a train, but is also possible that there were more members who have not been captured.

Police revealed that members of the gang were working in shifts in the peak hours on weekdays. Each shift was composed of 8-10 people who have acted around Victoria Square and have followed the people who go down to the subway stop, while they have also been chosing their victims.

Sometimes a man and a woman who pretended they are a couple have walked towards the targeted victims in the train and with fast moves they have cut the bag or pocket to steal a phone or purse without the victim noticing. They were usually stealing about a dozen purses a day. Once they emptied the contents of the purses, pickpockets were throwing them in the nearest bins.

News of the captured gang of pickpockets came exactly one week after I became a witness of the following arrogant statement: "We do not call the police when people are stealing purses and phones!" said by a security guard in the subway, before whose eyes the following scene happened: before the doors closed and the train continued in the subway was attacked a 70-years-old man - a foreigner.

He dropped on the floor of the train, after he was surrounded by about five strong men. His wife, who stood aside and saw what happens with her husband rushed to help him. The scene happened in seconds before the eyes of all passengers. A boy jumped on the moment and grabbed the sleeve of one of the attackers, but he managed to slip away and to escape from the train, disappearing in the crowd with his other accomplices.

At this moment next to the the wagon was passing the security company employee who saw what was happening. People who helped the older foreigner immediately asked for the police to be called, but the guard said that "in these cases they do not call the police because pickpockets run away in the small streets and they can not find them. Suddenly even the people who stood by as stunned spectators of what was happening, jumped to fight with him. And he discouragingly said he can not do anything about it, and the subway has to leave.

The old couple foreigners got away with the shok of the attack and the torn pocket of the short pants of the man. People were outraged by the impunity and tried to find an explanation for the foreigners. But the conclusion remains the same and sounds something like: "We ask passengers to keep their personal belongings", as you will hear every time you get on the subway.