EL.AS: Disrupted a gang that pretended to be elevator technicians to commit thefts

He was dismantled by the EL.AS criminal group, whose members committed thefts from old people’s homes, pretending to be electricity supply employees or elevator maintenance workers.

They were arrested on Wednesday morning as part of an operation with the assistance of OPKE. in Ano Liosia, four citizens, aged 21, 24, 27 and 39 years old, as members of a criminal group that commits distinguished thefts by complicity and by continuation, as well as – as the case may be – for violating the legislation on amateur and professional sports, personal protection data and weapons. Two additional members of the gang have been identified and are being sought.

According to EL.AS, from the preliminary investigation, the defendants, at least since July 2023, had set up and joined a group with continuous action and distinct roles among its members, with the aim of committing thefts from homes for the elderly in areas of Southern Suburbs of Attica.

How did the organization work?

Regarding their mode of action, the members of the gang during the morning and midday hours, moved in the above areas looking for houses where elderly people lived who might be convinced by the tricks used by the gang in order to break into their houses and by the method of employment to complete their criminal acts.

When they were spotted, they would ring house bells, impersonating power company employees or elevator repairmen who were visiting them ostensibly for a power leak or elevator malfunction.

When the victims were convinced of their status and the accused managed to enter the houses, one member took over the employment of the victim, disorienting him with various pretexts (checking the electrical installations or household appliances), so that the other members, with quick and methodical moves to search the premises and remove jewelery and sums of money.

In other cases they followed elderly people on their way back to their homes, approaching them in a similar way.

As pointed out in the announcement, a characteristic of the persuasiveness of the pretexts used by the members is the fact that in one case they persuaded a victim to collect sums of money and jewelry in aluminum foil in order to “protect” them from the upcoming work – and then the were removing

From the preliminary investigation so far, 9 cases of theft have been solved in Alimos, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza.

What EL.AS found during the investigations

From the searches carried out in their homes, clothing that had been used during the commission of the criminal acts, jewelry, watches, cameras, along with a recording device, a calyx, preparations for improving sports performance and the sum of 2,300 euros were confiscated.

The financial benefit they obtained from their criminal activity is estimated to exceed 190,000 euros.

It is noted that the accused have in the past concerned the Authorities for similar crimes.

The arrested were taken to the Athens District Attorney, while the investigation to ascertain the full scope of their criminal activity continues.