Greek police are investigating what could be the biggest theft involving a scam in Thessaloniki, after criminals stole gold sovereigns worth more than €4 million from an elderly woman.

“We’re from Thessaloniki’s electricity company”

It all began on Tuesday afternoon, when unknown perpetrators called the woman at home and claimed to represent the supposed “Thessaloniki electricity company”.

After speaking to her for some time, they told her that work was about to be carried out in the area and that there was a serious risk of electrocution.

They instructed her to enter a room but said that, for her own safety, she would need to place all metal objects — including any gold items, jewellery and sovereigns she owned — in another area outside the room, so that she would not be at risk from the supposed works.

The elderly woman consequently placed 4,766 gold sovereigns and various pieces of jewellery in bags.

“Leave the door open”

Before making their final move, the perpetrators told the elderly woman to leave the door of her home open.

After persuading her to do so, accomplices in the criminal gang entered the flat, picked up the bags, which weighed a total of 38kg, and disappeared.

By the time the woman eventually left the room, the sovereigns had vanished. Their value is estimated at €4.7 million.

Anger at police headquarters

The news from Thessaloniki has caused considerable frustration at police headquarters in Katechaki, Athens, where officers are seeing these gangs operate relentlessly and increasingly regard them as the number one threat to public safety.