Three copper thieves in Plaka with dozens of arrests – six dead from explosion
Police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidu revealed that the three suspects in the copper theft have an extensive criminal history. The theft is linked to a fatal explosion that claimed the lives of six people.
Three suspects in copper theft in Plaka: dozens of arrests, six victims
The three suspects connected with the copper theft and fatal explosion in Plaka had appeared "dozens of times" before the authorities, had served prison sentences and had been released. This was revealed by the spokesperson for the Hellenic Police, Konstantia Dimoglidu, speaking on OPEN channel — according to Ethnos.
Dimoglidu clarified that the theft in question led to the deaths of six people. All three individuals involved, as she stated, have an extensive history of criminal activity, with repeated arrests and apprehensions. She herself acknowledged that she did not know the exact criminal history of each individual case, due to the exceptionally large number of arrests.
Involvement of specialist departments
During the investigation, the Extortionists Department of the Hellenic Police assisted. One of the arrests was carried out by the DIAS team, as one of the suspects was known to the authorities and was found moving in the Omonoia area.
Special plan for Athens city centre
Referring to methods of protecting apartment buildings and properties in the centre of the capital, Dimoglidu stressed that the Hellenic Police is implementing a special plan that targets specific individuals which it classifies within the framework of what it defines as "petty crime". At the same time she emphasised that copper thefts can prove fatal, particularly when they concern occupied buildings.
The spokesperson called on citizens to immediately notify the police of any suspicious activity. It is notable that in the area under the jurisdiction of the Acropolis Department, only one official complaint has been recorded for an attempted removal of copper from an apartment building.
The "route" of stolen copper
When asked about the disposal points for the material, Dimoglidu stated that in many cases the police have mapped the route of the stolen copper. As she said, the copper does not always end up in operations outside the city centre. Warehouses have been identified in Athens itself, where the activity was carried out without documentation and legal procedures, resulting in the arrest of their managers.
The case was partially revealed thanks to the use of video material, which enabled the identification of those involved. Dimoglidu stressed that preventing similar tragic incidents requires continuous effort and meaningful cooperation between citizens and the authorities.
Source: Ethnos