Heraklion: 29-year-old arrested for telephone fraud

Police in Heraklion have arrested a 29-year-old man identified as a member of a criminal group specializing in telephone fraud. The suspect allegedly acted as a collector in two incidents within the Malevizi municipality.

In one instance on August 13, the man impersonated an electricity company employee to convince a 46-year-old woman to place jewelry and cash outside her home. He then collected the items, valued at over 1,500 euros, and fled on a motorcycle. A second attempt occurred on August 12, where the suspect and an unidentified accomplice attempted to collect a bag of valuables from a 72-year-old woman but were detected and fled.

The suspect was located at his home on September 20. During the operation, his 72-year-old grandmother, who resides with him, was also arrested for customs code violations after police discovered 36 packs of cigarettes lacking the required tax stamps. Investigations are ongoing to identify other members of the group.