A 34-year-old Greek man has been arrested on Mykonos, accused of stealing a Hermès handbag and a Rolex watch worth a combined 75,000 euros from a 29-year-old Ukrainian tourist. He is said to have taken the valuables as “collateral” for the fare, then vanished. He was arrested by Greek police, and the stolen items were found near the Church of Agios Patapios.

How the incident unfolded

According to the Ukrainian tourist’s complaint, the accused, who was driving him along the provincial road between Mykonos Town and Ano Mera, demanded and received high-value personal items as collateral, to guarantee payment for the fare to his accommodation in Elia.

The Ukrainian tourist handed the taxi driver:

• a Hermès women’s handbag, worth 15,000 euros, and
• a luxury Rolex Day-Date watch, worth 60,000 euros.

At 6.20am, the Greek driver took advantage of the moment the 29-year-old stepped out of the vehicle, sped off and disappeared, abandoning him at the scene while keeping hold of the valuables.

Mykonos police used the information available to them and traced the 34-year-old to the Agios Stefanos area. Searches of both his car and temporary residence on the island failed to lead them to the stolen goods.

However, the items were later found carefully hidden under rocks in an open area near the Church of Agios Patapios.