A 25-year-old man in Thessaloniki was abducted and robbed by a group of five individuals who forced him to transfer 20,000 euros from his bank account under threats of violence, according to police.
The perpetrators reportedly immobilized the victim and compelled him to carry out the electronic transfer before demanding additional money in exchange for his release.
Following a coordinated police operation by the Hellenic Police’s Crime Investigation and Prosecution Department in Oreokastro, with support from the Crime Prevention and Suppression Unit, two brothers aged 20 and 16 were arrested. Authorities have also identified three alleged accomplices—two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old—who remain at large.
According to the investigation, the victim—who was known to the 20-year-old suspect—was forced into a vehicle and taken to an area in the municipality of Oreokastro, where he was threatened with a firearm and a cutting tool and coerced into transferring the funds.
The group then allegedly transported him to the area of Ampelokipoi in an attempt to withdraw additional cash from an ATM, which proved unsuccessful. The victim was later released near his residence, where he was again threatened and warned not to contact the authorities, according to the police statement.
During searches of the suspects’ homes, officers seized a pistol, an airsoft weapon, four airsoft rifles, and four knives.
The arrested individuals were brought before a public prosecutor, while investigations continue to locate the remaining suspects and clarify the full scope of the case.
