A 37-year-old air force officer, who allegedly planned to forge the official stamps of police authorities in areas ravaged by August’s catastrophic fires, may have wanted to swindle cash destined for fire victims, police said yesterday.

The officer is alleged to have ordered five stamps from a printing store in Panorama, a Thessaloniki suburb, in early September. Posing as a policeman, he allegedly gave the store owner documents bearing official stamps from police stations in Pyrgos, Ileia prefecture, and Patras, and asked for stamps with the same insignia. He also allegedly asked for a stamp with the name of an existing Thessaloniki policeman. It is unclear whether this officer is involved.

“We are probing the suspect’s possible participation in a ring issuing forged documents to people from areas not affected by the fires,” police said.