New information emerged this week on the activity of a group of vigilantes in the northern Greece city of Thessaloniki targeting alleged pedophiles.

The report was presented on Mega Channel’s Live News program by police reporter Vassilis Lampropoulos.

According to the aired report, members of this gang appear to have expanded activities to the greater Athens area, even targeting a police officer.

The specific incident took place last Friday in the east Athens district of Ilioupoli, with the police officer charging that he was attacked by a group of young men who assaulted him after he had purchased an item from a street-side kiosk. He was later transferred and hospitalized at a local military hospital.

A subsequent investigation supposedly revealed that this particular officer, who serves in the riot police division, had been communicating online with a minor, girl, over the past few months, communication that also included the exchange of photographs.

The man claimed in a statement, according to the report, that he believed he was communicating with an adult female However, it turned out she was a minor and had been used as “bait” to set up the trap by the group.

When the man went to an agreed-to meeting point, he was attacked by the assailants.