He was identified as 43-year-old who stole expensive watches and jewelry with the method “Rip – Deal” – The theft of 243,400 euros in a hotel in Athens

Luxury thefts and in various countries of Europe under the Rip – Deal method were committed by criminal organization, a member of which is a 43-year-old foreigner identified by police. The 43-year-old Romanian descent and the remaining members of the criminal organization who were involved in the theft of luxury watches and jewellery were operating since the summer of 2023, as found by the officers of the Life and Property Crimes DEA, the Organized Crime Management. CORVERSE In particular, it was found that the members of the organisation have committed thefts in various countries of Europe including Greece, and specifically in August 2023 at a hotel in Athens , with the total financial value of the removed items amounting to EUR 243,400 . The above 43-year-old is accused, among other things, of being involved in committing the theft in question, which was carried out under the Rip- Deal method, while his full details were identified after proper exploitation of data and exchange of information with Europol and Interpol. How they acted In terms of the organization’s methodology of action it emerged that its members initially located on specialized websites the items that interested them and then approached the sellers seeking to gain their trust. In fact, to become even more convincing to their potential victims, they did not appear as ordinary workers but as entrepreneurs with high social and professional status. They then arranged a live meeting with a view to checking the items for sale, in central hotels in the selected city. There, during the process of displaying the luxury items, the “customer – buyer” persuaded the seller with various pretexts to deliver the items to him to properly pack them before him and temporarily place them in the hotel safe. However, when delivering the packaging with the objects, the “estimator” did not deliver the newly packaged items but otherwise – fake in packages, which looked so similar that the seller could not understand that it was a clone bag (Rip – Deal method). For their movements, it was verified that they were moving by air or by road, using even luxury vehicles. The file formed was submitted to the competent prosecutor.