A brazen armed bank robbery sent shockwaves through the town of Kato Tithorea in the Fthiotida regional unit of central Greece on the morning of Monday, May 11, when four individuals burst into a local bank branch shortly after 10:00 a.m.
The suspects entered the branch wearing wigs, hats, and masks, their faces fully concealed, and proceeded to threaten staff and customers at gunpoint. According to the account that has emerged, one of the four acted as a lookout outside the building.
“Everybody get down”
Three bank employees were inside at the time, along with two customers. Under the command “everybody get down,” the five were forced to the floor at gunpoint while one of the robbers, armed with a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle, stood watch over them. A second suspect, also armed, escorted one of the employees to the vault, from which the group reportedly made off with approximately €200,000.
Nearly twenty minutes into the bank robbery, a third member of the group appeared at the buildings entrance, brandishing a loaded assault rifle to hold the doors open so his accomplices could escape. The four then fled by car toward the town of Livadeia, according to local outlet lamianow.gr.
An eyewitness who saw the getaway described the scene exclusively to Ta Nea: “I don’t know exactly what happened inside, the employees can’t say much because they’re still shaken. What I saw was them running out. There were four of them, and as they were running, some of the money fell. They turned around, picked it up, and disappeared.”
On the subject of the heavy weaponry involved, the same witness added: “I didn’t see the guns myself, but I assume they had them stashed in bags and duffel bags they were carrying.”
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects and are reviewing security camera footage from the area.
