Greek police break up Attica gang behind scams and burglaries, 78 cases solved

Arrests in Megara

Police arrested six people on the morning of 10 October in an operation led by the Megara police department's crime unit, with support from a West Attica unit and the OPKE. The six, aged 38, 36, 35, 27, 25 and 24, are part of a group whose case file also names eight more people who have been identified. Those eight are accused of establishing and taking part in a criminal organisation, along with aggravated theft and fraud, robbery, receiving and disposing of criminal proceeds, and violations of the narcotics law. Police describe the group as having been formed in January 2026, with distinct roles and continuous activity.

Phone scams

The first strand was a telephone fraud run from a call centre in Ano Liosia. Some members made the initial calls to potential victims and assessed how they responded, then passed suitable targets to a central caller who completed the fraud. The callers posed as employees of electricity companies, accountants, tax advisers or police officers. According to the reports, they warned victims of supposed power leaks or fire risks, or of tax arrears and fines for undeclared valuables, to pressure them into handing over cash and jewellery. Accomplices then collected the items at agreed points. Police say one member even posed as a police officer after the items were taken, trying to gather information from victims and reduce the chance of a complaint.

Burglaries and catalytic converter thefts

The second strand involved systematic break-ins of homes, mainly in Elefsina, Magoula, Mandra, Nikaia, Keratsini and Chaidari. Targets were chosen at midday or in the evening, after checking that residents were away. The thieves took steps to conceal their features during the break-ins, and in some cases put stolen number plates on their vehicles. Accomplices drove and kept watch over the area, staying in contact with those inside to warn of residents or police approaching. The third strand covered thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles in various parts of Attica.

Scale of the case

Police say 78 cases of fraud, theft and robbery in Attica have been solved so far, based on the preliminary investigation. The group's gains are estimated at more than 350,000 euros, and the activity covered the period from January to October 2026. Video footage of the group's activity has since been made public, although the reports available do not describe its content in detail.