“We had been monitoring them for a long time, They may be linked to other crimes,” says Chrysochoidis about the Tithorea bank robbers

Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis revealed that the Hellenic Police had been “monitoring for rather immoderate time” the gang liable for the bank robbery that took spot Monday greeting successful Tithorea.

Speaking to ERT connected Tuesday morning, helium said: “They had committed different robberies arsenic well, 1 large and respective smaller ones. The constabulary organized themselves, monitored them, and acted.”

When asked whether determination was accusation linking the 8 suspects to different transgression activities, Chrysochoidis replied only: “They whitethorn beryllium connected to thing other arsenic well, but that volition beryllium determined by judges and prosecutors.”

“This radical was highly susceptible and active, but successful the extremity they fell into the trap acceptable by the work and were arrested,” the curate concluded regarding the Tithorea robbery case.

The 8 suspects, aged 24 to 33, were already known to authorities

The 8 suspects — six men and 2 women — arrested for the equipped slope robbery successful Tithorea, which yielded a ample magnitude of cash, person been held astatine the Athens Police Headquarters (GADA) since Monday night.

Police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidou said Tuesday greeting that “the archetypal 5 were arrested soon aft the robbery portion carrying dense weaponry. They had 4 manus grenades, firearms with bullets already successful the chamber, pistols, and submachine guns.”

According to the constabulary spokesperson, the suspects are betwixt 24 and 33 years aged “and person antecedently occupied the authorities with assorted offenses.” She added that “they had nary transportation to the country and chose the slope due to the fact that determination was nary adjacent constabulary station.”

She besides said that investigators “are searching for further individuals, portion location searches are being carried retired today.”

The apprehension operation

Immediately aft the equipped robbery astatine the slope successful Tithorea, section constabulary forces were reinforced by units from Athens, specifically the Burglary Division. Heavily equipped officers began combing the roads aft locating the robbers’ stolen metallic vehicle. Although constabulary pursued them, the criminals attempted to flight astatine precocious velocity on agrarian roads.

The Organized Crime Directorate (DAOE) units were determined not to fto them flight and yet trapped the conveyance successful a dead-end road. There, the robbers exited the conveyance carrying Kalashnikov rifles and aimed them astatine constabulary officers.

However, erstwhile they realized they had nary mode out, they decided to surrender. Officers handcuffed them and, nether conditions of utmost secrecy, transferred them to GADA utilizing elevators reserved for elder information officials alternatively than the building’s main entrance.

After the apprehension of the archetypal 5 suspects, investigations continued successful Athens, wherever 3 much radical were arrested.

Beyond the Tithorea robbery, authorities judge the aforesaid pack was besides liable for the 2025 robbery successful Katochi, Mesolongi, wherever employees and customers were held hostage.

DNA samples and fingerprints from the suspects volition beryllium analyzed arsenic a precedence to find successful which different crimes they whitethorn person been involved.

Police statement

“During the day hours contiguous (yesterday Monday), 8 individuals (six men and 2 women) were brought to the office of the Subdirectorate for the Investigation and Solving of Crimes Against Life and Property of the Organized Crime Directorate and are being examined for their engagement successful a robbery that took spot during the greeting hours of 11/05/2026 astatine a slope subdivision successful an country of Fthiotida, arsenic good arsenic successful different robberies. Heavy weaponry has been located during the probe truthful far. Further updates volition follow.”