One of the members of the notorious criminal gang “Pink Panthers,” who participated in the daring armed robbery of a jewelry store in Halkidiki, was arrested in Bulgaria after Greek authorities identified the perpetrators of the crime, in which jewelry and luxury watches worth nearly €580,000 were stolen.
After months of investigation, officers from the Sub-Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in Northern Greece identified two Serbian citizens aged 48 and 46. European arrest warrants were issued for them, on the basis of which one was arrested in Bulgaria and the other in Croatia, Protothema reports.
The two are believed to be members of the international criminal network “Pink Panthers,” which operates within the transnational groups of Balkan organized crime. The group is known for its high level of organization, adaptability, and continuous improvement of its methods, specializing in jewelry robberies throughout Europe. The main targets of the attacks are expensive jewelry and luxury watches from reputable stores.
The armed robbery in Halkidiki took place at noon on September 2, 2025, at a jewelry store located in a hotel complex in the Sani area. The two main perpetrators stormed into the store, pointed their weapons at the employees, and in a matter of seconds took the valuables available, then left the scene with extreme speed. Their actions clearly showed that the attack had been carefully planned in terms of both execution and subsequent escape.
The Greek police investigation, conducted in close cooperation with foreign services and Europol, established that a total of four members of the group had been in Greek territory between August 20 and September 2, 2025, for the sole purpose of carrying out the robbery. They entered the country at different times, used false identity documents, and rented cars, on which they subsequently placed stolen license plates to make it difficult for law enforcement to track them.
Prior to the crime itself, the perpetrators repeatedly observed the area and planned their actions in detail. They used both cars and electric scooters to get to the jewelry store and escape.
During the robbery, the 48-year-old suspect, along with an as-yet-unidentified accomplice, threatened two employees with a weapon and stole valuables worth €579,805.75. At the same time, the 46-year-old, assisted by an unknown woman, played a supporting role, posing as a customer and observing the situation around the premises.
It is known that the older of the two is registered in Switzerland for a series of burglaries, and the authorities are also investigating their possible involvement in other similar armed robberies in various European countries in 2024 and 2025.
Following their arrest in Bulgaria and Croatia, the competent judicial authorities are expected to rule on the extradition of the two suspects to Greece, where they will stand trial. | BGNES