Police arrest business owner for 33 armed robberies

Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of a man who is a suspect for 33 armed robberies with a combined loot of 200,000 euros in the last 20 months.

The 44-year-old was arrested on the island of Salamina on Tuesday, shortly after his latest bank robbery committed on the island. On him at the time of his arrest, police found an air-gun and the money taken in the robbery.

Further investigation showed that the man arrested was also a suspect in 27 armed robberies in Attica, four in Loutraki and one in Sparti, as well as an attempted robbery in the Athens district of Nea Ionia.

The man was essentially identified through the motorbike he was using, which had also been used as the getaway vehicle in the various robberies, while police also confiscated a four-wheel drive vehicle and clothes that he used to disguise himself during the robberies as evidence.

Police sources said that the 44-year-old came from a fairly wealthy background and also had his own business but had run into heavy debt. He was taken before a Piraeus public prosecutor to be charged and police are continuing to investigate his possible involvement in other criminal actions.