One suspect was arrested on Wednesday for the brazen snatching of a woman’s gold chain from around her neck at an Athens-area beach earlier this month, an incident captured during an unrelated live news report from the spot – and subsequently going viral on social media.
The live broadcast showed what appeared to be a teenager or young adult sneak up behind an elderly woman and snatch her gold chain in a split second, all while a television news crew was filming a few meters away, and with the reporter with his back to the incident.
He was reportedly identified from the video footage and placed under police surveillance over the past few days.
His arrest was one of 30 reported in a police sweep in central Athens.
All of those arrested were identified as foreign nationals from non-EU countries and all claimed they were under the age of 18.
Often, foreign nationals who illegally entered Greece and are subsequently arrested and charged with other offenses – regardless of whether they apply for some type of asylum – claim upon arraignment that they are minors and lack documentation.
One report by the outlet, Skai TV, which was filming live, had the suspect saying “what did the old woman want with the chain,” when authorities pointed out that the victim could have been injured in such an attack.
