Police have arrested two teen suspects, aged 18 and 16, and identified six others in connection with a criminal gang accused of carrying out 34 thefts and frauds across the greater Athens area and other parts of Greece, allegedly posing as employees of an electricity provider and the grid operator.

The two suspects were arrested during a coordinated police operation Sept. 4 in a town in Fyli, west of Athens. Authorities estimate the group’s total haul at more than 250,000 euros.

According to police, the group had been operating since December 2025 and was organized into three operational teams. Members allegedly used a rented vehicle and posed as electricity company employees, telling victims there was an electrical leak or even a radiation hazard at their homes before persuading them to hand over cash and valuables.

The gang allegedly used numerous telephone connections, changing them regularly to make detection more difficult.

Police searches of the suspects’ homes uncovered jewelry, watches, clothing allegedly used during the crimes, numerous mobile phones and two disguise masks hidden in a false ceiling.

The arrests come amid a broader wave of telephone scams in Greece, many targeting elderly people.

In recent months, criminal gangs have increasingly impersonated power company workers, accountants and public officials to persuade victims to surrender cash and valuables. Police have also warned that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods, including artificial intelligence to mimic familiar voices. Authorities have described the phenomenon as a serious threat and are examining tougher penalties for scams targeting elderly people.

Similar electricity-worker scams have repeatedly been reported this year, including a network dismantled in Athens in May that was linked to at least 117 fraud cases and more than 3 million euros in alleged illegal gains, while another group uncovered in July was accused of taking more than 440,000 euros through at least 58 thefts and frauds.