A spiral of two-wheeled thieves was dismantled in Agia Varvara

A criminal group-gang was dismantled by the Agia Varvara Security Department of the Western Attica Security Sub-Directorate, whose members committed motorcycle thefts, falsified chassis and engine numbers in an illegal workshop in an area of ​​Attica and sold their parts whole or in parts – disassembled.

For the case, two members of the gang (a 38-year-old and a 49-year-old) were arrested in the morning hours of Tuesday, November 7, 2023, in areas of Attica. -, formation of a gang by persons organized to commit theft as a profession, forgery in the form of after-use forgery and alteration of vehicle identification details by follow-up, acceptance and disposal of proceeds of crime as well as theft by complicity.

As it emerged from the investigation, the defendants, at least since September 2023, united with each other and formed a criminal group – gang with the purpose of removing motorcycles, falsifying their frame and engine identification numbers and selling them for illegal financial gain.

To achieve their purpose, they had distinct roles, namely the 44-year-old had the technical knowledge required to process the motorcycle identification numbers, the 38-year-old was active in removing the motorcycles while their co-accused acted as motorcycle mechanics on behalf of third parties people so that the group maintains a wide circle of contacts.

In terms of modus operandi, the gang members used a ground floor space as a motorcycle workshop which was properly configured with logistical equipment, and there they hid the stolen motorcycles that the 38-year-old removed on “order” from interested buyers or motorcycles that came into his possession with damage.

Then, after carrying out a mechanical check on the motorcycles to assess their condition, they decided whether to sell them whole or in parts, sending the parts they disassembled to areas outside Attica, while the profit they made from the sales was shared by the 44-year-old and 38-year-old, while in those who mediated gave the amount due to them.

In particular, as regards the legitimate traffic of the vehicles, they either engaged in forgery in the form of falsifying the identification numbers that were imprinted on the metal surface of the engines, or they mechanically interfered with the impression surface of the engine number by completely altering the identification number by scraping it, falsifying the identity their.

Finally, they were constantly supplied with tools, in order to expand their clientele, while they also performed routine repairs on motorcycles in front of or inside the workshop.

In a search carried out at the workshop and at their home, the following were found and confiscated:

• -9- motorcycle engines, complete and disassembled, with the number thereof either visibly tampered with or scratched off,
• large number of motorcycle engine and frame parts,
• -2-corner wheels together with compatible discs,
• floor sanding & cleaning wheel,
• straight sander,
• hydraulic press with the possibility of loading twelve -12- tons,
• handwritten notes with names and phone numbers,
• -10- mobile phones,
• pair of motorcycle gloves,
• -2-breaking tools and
• -4-head single cylinder motorcycle engine.

So far, -5- cases of motorcycle thefts and falsification of engine identification numbers have been solved, while in checks carried out in various areas of Attica, -3- motorcycles that had been repaired by the gang members and had identification data of questionable authenticity were confiscated.

Those arrested were taken to the competent prosecuting authority.