Police catch perpetrator of at least 10 heists

A 34-year-old man who was arrested last Saturday was behind at least 10 armed robberies since late last year, the Hellenic Police (ELAS) said on Wednesday.

The man, who has been arrested in the past for a number of offenses and recently served a prison sentence for a robbery conviction, was arrested early Saturday when he refused to stop for police questioning in the courtyard of an apartment building in Moschato district of Athens.

An investigation identified him as the perpetrator of numerous bank heists and supermarket robberies in various parts of Attica since November 2019.

A special task force had been set up to locate and arrest him.

According to police he would enter stores wearing either a hood or a surgical mask, and rob them while brandishing a pistol.