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Chilean Burglars Suspected of 'Criminal Tourism' in Greece
🇬🇷 Greece /Crime & Justice

Chilean Burglars Suspected of 'Criminal Tourism' in Greece

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Greek police have identified a pattern of "criminal tourism" involving burglars from Chile who enter the Schengen zone with fake documents and stay for short periods to commit crimes.
  • In the latest case, four individuals, three Chilean and one Greek woman, are implicated in the burglary of a luxury home in southern Athens, with the alleged ringleader already imprisoned for a similar offense.
  • The suspects are accused of targeting affluent homes in northern and southern suburbs, using sophisticated entry techniques and operating in small groups, making it difficult for authorities to track them.

Greek authorities are investigating a recurring pattern of sophisticated burglaries attributed to individuals from Chile, who appear to be engaging in what police term "criminal tourism." This involves entering the Schengen zone using forged documents, staying for brief periods to execute high-value thefts, and then departing.

The latest case involves the burglary of a luxury residence in the southern suburbs of Athens. Police have identified four suspects: three Chilean nationals and a young Greek woman who allegedly played a supporting role. The suspected ringleader is reportedly already incarcerated for a previous involvement in similar crimes involving South American burglars.

Authorities believe the suspects targeted affluent single-family homes in the northern and southern suburbs of Athens, often entering during morning or afternoon hours through balcony doors. They are known for their advanced burglary skills, leaving minimal traces and sometimes accessing target residences by scaling adjacent properties. The group typically consists of three to four individuals.

They always target single-family homes in the North or South suburbs with financial backgrounds. They choose morning or afternoon hours and enter through the balcony door. They operate in groups of three or four people.

— Officials from the Property Crimes DepartmentSources within the police department described the burglars' targeting and operational methods.

Their modus operandi includes using fake documents or collaborating with others to rent vehicles, and staying in short-term rental properties under third-party names. They also utilized ride-sharing apps to move around, all aimed at hindering identification and tracking. Police are examining the suspects' potential involvement in other unsolved burglary cases.

Similar cases involving Chilean burglars have been reported in other countries, including the United States and Argentina. In a recent incident, Chilean police arrested three individuals suspected of burglarizing NFL players in the US and Argentina. These individuals reportedly had no prior criminal records in Chile and specialized in international burglaries, with extradition proceedings underway.

They had specialized in burglaries outside their borders.

— An Interpol official from ChileAn official from Chile's Interpol division commented on the suspects' international criminal activities.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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