Youth crime puts authorities on edge
Special police operations increasing to tackle growing instances of teen violence in Athens
In view of the alarming rate of violence involving minors, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) has stepped up special operations to combat the phenomenon.
The security subdivision of northeastern Attica, together with the DIAS motorcycle unit, carried out investigations and made arrests at the weekend in Athens’ northern and northeastern suburbs of Maroussi, Neo Iraklio and Nea Ionia.
The aim is to prevent delinquent behavior and map places where teenagers frequent and violent clashes have occurred in the past.
“We have to revise what we have so far believed about children who exhibit violent behavior,” police officials told Kathimerini.
“Juvenile offenders do not necessarily come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and often they are very comfortable financially,” the officials said, noting that offenders are often not aware of the seriousness of their acts. “It is as if they cannot distinguish the boundaries between the real world and the digital world,” they said.
Indicatively, on Saturday afternoon, four juveniles, aged 14 and 13, were arrested in Holargos for damage to property. The four teenagers allegedly entered a school complex, damaging school equipment (computers and desks).
The next day, early Sunday morning, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old were arrested in Psychiko on charges of conspiracy, while the authorities are looking for a third suspect.
After getting off a bus, the three teenagers allegedly approached a group of three other teens whom they assaulted and took off with their money, clothing and mobile phones. Police managed to arrest two of the suspects. In an investigation conducted at the scene of the incident, the stolen mobile phones were found hidden behind the wheel of a parked car and returned to their owners. As a consequence of the beatings, one of the victims was seriously injured and taken to hospital, while the 15-year-old offender has also been charged in the past with stealing a moped.
Those arrested were taken to the relevant prosecutor.
Meanwhile, new violent incidents in schools have come to light in the last 24 hours, including the brutal beating of a 14-year-old girl by her classmates in Peristeri and the systematic bullying of a 14-year-old student in Koropi for three years.
