Three men were arrested in Thessaloniki following a high-speed police chase that involved gunfire, ramming of police vehicles and injuries to officers, Greek authorities announced.
The three Greek nationals, aged 45, 37 and 35, are accused of belonging to a criminal organisation that stole electrical transformers. A fourth suspect remains at large.
According to police, officers spotted a stolen farm vehicle in the Nea Rysia area in the early morning hours and attempted to stop it. The driver rammed two police cars in an attempt to escape. During the pursuit, the 35-year-old passenger fired at the windscreen and bonnet of a police vehicle.
The stolen vehicle then crossed into oncoming traffic on the Thessaloniki-Peraia national road and collided with a private car, injuring its two occupants, who were taken to hospital. When the farm vehicle was finally stopped, the suspects fled on foot before being caught. According to the police statement, they resisted arrest and injured three officers.
A search of the vehicle turned up a carbine with a filed-off serial number, ammunition, five bullet casings, and 12 copper transformer coils taken from a rural area of Chalkidiki, along with tools used to strip the transformers.
Investigators said the gang had stolen 96 transformers and attempted to steal one more between 20 January and the day of their arrest, causing at least 550,000 euros in damage to the electricity distribution network.
