Fraud in Thessaloniki: 4,766 gold sovereigns worth €4.7 million stolen from elderly woman
Perpetrators posed as employees of the Public Power Corporation and took 38 kilograms of gold sovereigns. The Hellenic Police is conducting investigations to locate those involved.
Fraudsters impersonated power company employees and stole 4,766 gold sovereigns in Thessaloniki
A group of perpetrators took 4,766 gold sovereigns and jewellery with a total value of €4.7 million from an elderly woman in Thessaloniki, according to reports by Dikastiko.gr. The theft took place on Tuesday, 13 October, with the perpetrators using false identification as employees of "DEI Thessaloniki" (the Public Power Corporation's Thessaloniki branch).
The electrical hazard scenario
The perpetrators initially contacted the elderly woman by phone, presenting themselves as technicians from the Public Power Corporation. They told her that dangerous infrastructure work was about to be carried out in her area and that there was an immediate risk of electrocution for residents.
According to the scenario they presented to her, the woman had to lock herself in a room of the flat and remove all metal objects and valuables from it as a safety measure.
38 kilograms of gold in bags
The elderly woman followed the instructions and gathered jewellery, valuables and 4,766 gold sovereigns totalling 38 kilograms' weight into bags. Subsequently, the perpetrators persuaded her to leave the flat's front door open.
Accomplices, who had been waiting outside the building, entered the flat, collected the bags with the valuable items and disappeared without being detected.
The woman notified the authorities
When the elderly woman left the room and discovered that the bags had vanished, she realised she had fallen victim to fraud and immediately notified the Hellenic Police.
The total value of the haul is estimated at €4.7 million. The Hellenic Police is conducting an investigation with the aim of locating and arresting all those involved in the case.
Source: Dikastiko.gr