Seven hooded men allegedly broke into a 24-year-old man’s home in Lakatamia, beat him, robbed him and abducted him, putting him in a car boot, while demanding 5,000 euros. He was later released with 20 euros for a taxi, a court heard on Tuesday, as a suspect was remanded in custody for eight days.
Police have reportedly secured an arrest warrant for another person and are looking for five more people in connection with the case. The 24-year-old told police he recognised the arrested suspect by his voice and build, as he had known him for years and they had worked together on building sites.
The court heard that he went to a police station at 2.50am on Sunday, October 18. He said that at about 1am, while he was at home with his partner, seven hooded men forced the door and came inside.
The investigator in the case told the court the men allegedly forced the aluminium front door with iron objects. They then demanded 5,000 euros, threatening to kill him and to harm him and his family.
In his complaint, he said he was beaten repeatedly while trapped inside the house, as the men again demanded the money. Two of them allegedly threatened him with knives and, on instructions from another man present, continued to beat him.
The investigator said the men allegedly took 200 euros from his trouser pocket at knifepoint and stole his wife’s bag, containing her mobile phone and a bank card, from a room in the house.
In his statement, the 24-year-old said the men then walked him a short distance and, using force and threats, put him in the boot of a black car. A second, rented car was also used, which he said was driven by the arrested suspect.
They first took him to a car park near Magli lake in Archangelos, where, according to the complaint, they took him out of the boot, led him to an open area and attacked him again. They allegedly filmed the beating while threatening him again to pay the money.
They then put him in the back seat of the rented car and took him first to a house opposite Lakatamia police station, and then to an open area in Deftera, where he says he was attacked and threatened again.
The men released him in a car park near a tavern in Lakatamia. One of them allegedly gave him 20 euros of the money they had taken and told him to get a taxi home. He said all seven spoke Arabic.
The investigator said that when he reported the incident he had an injury to his left eye, which he attributed to the attack.
The suspect is being investigated for conspiracy to commit a felony and a misdemeanour, burglary, theft, malicious damage and armed entry into property with intent to steal. Kidnapping or abduction offences are also being investigated.
