After a month-long investigation by the Department for the Prosecution and Detection of Crimes of Karditsa and the Sub-Directorate for the Prosecution and Detection of Crimes of Larissa, the Authorities proceeded to dismantle an organised circuit that was active in the theft of copper from transformers of the DEDDIE network.
According to the police investigation, the members of the organisation had formed a structured network with distinct roles and a specific methodology of action. Their aim was to remove copper from electricity transformers, mainly in rural areas of the Regional Units of Karditsa and Larissa.
The stolen copper was then channeled to the market through a metal recycling business in the Vassilis Farsala area, bringing significant illegal profits to the members of the organization. The offenders used different vehicles in each operation, either owned or stolen, to make it difficult to trace them.
From December 2024 to date, the ring has allegedly been involved in at least 561 transformer thefts. The total damage caused to the DEDDIE network is estimated at around €1.16 million, while the illegal financial gain of the perpetrators is estimated at more than €892,000.
In order to dismantle the organisation, a large-scale police operation was carried out in various areas of Thessaly, with the participation of services of the Greek Police. A total of 29 members of the organization were identified, of which 25 were arrested, while the rest are wanted.
During the searches, 16,530 euros in cash, ten private use trucks, three passenger vehicles, one public use truck, 30 mobile phones, one shotgun and 19 cartridges were seized. In addition, a large number of tools used to dismantle and destroy the transformers were found, including cutters, sledgehammers, straps and metal poles.
The arrested persons are brought before the Prosecutor’s Office of Karditsa, while the preliminary investigation continues by the competent police services.
