Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-06-28

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Shootout in Kifissia as armed robbers target home of coach

[01] Shootout in Kifissia as armed robbers target home of coach

One policeman was injured during the first exchange, while the second exchange of gunfire between police and robbers ended with one arrest. The second robber managed to escape by running through the yards of nearby houses and was caught later on Thursday afternoon, in a residence where he had taken refuge.

The skirmishes began during a robbery at the home of the PAOK coach on Zitsis street, in the leefy suburb of Kifissia in north Athens. The two armed robbers were interrupted by a police patrol in the midst of the robbery, after they had entered Donis' home, accosted his father-in-law, wife and one of his younger children and were about to make off with money and jewellery.

Unknown to them, however, the family's 15-year-old son was also in the house at the time and managed to get out without being spotted. The teenager had rushed next door, to the residence of former finance minister George Papaconstantinou, informing police sentries stationed of the incident. The guards alerted police and a patrol car was immediately sent, arriving before the robbers had made their getaway.

Surprised by police, the two men nevertheless managed to get out by using the elderly man as a "human shield". They then let him go and opened fire on the police patrol, injuring a police sergeant in the leg. Police returned fire and injured one of the perpetrators in the hand, after which the two robbers attempted to flee on foot.

More police officers arrived at the scene, with a chase ensuing through a nearby creek. Officers later recovered jewellery and blood near the Panagia Eleftherotria church.

Authorities caught up with the two men at the junction of Heimaras and Ithaki streets in Kifissia and there was a second exchange of fire. The man injured in the earlier shootout was arrested here, while the second perpetrator managed to escape once again but not before he was also injured by repeated police fire.

He was eventually caught and arrested at roughly 6 p.m. when police tracked him down to a house on Theotokopoulou street where he was hiding. A major operation set up with the assistance of police special forces. The house was surrounded and some officers attempted to force entry through the front, at which point the culprit tried to flee by jumping over the wall in the back garden, where he was apprehended by officers that had circled to the back of the house.

The police sergeant that was shot was rushed to a military hospital. The second of the two suspects was also taken to a hospital, while his accomplice, identified as a 27-year-old Albanian national arrested earlier, was being questioned at police headquarters.

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