NEWS

Thief killed in bank shootout

A guard at a bank in central Athens yesterday shot dead an armed robber as he was about to make off with more than 8,000 euros in cash after holding up the branch, police said. The 45-year-old thief, Constantinos Selemezidis, a Greek national originally from Kazakhstan, entered the branch of ATE Bank in Kato Patissia and pulled out a gun which he used to threaten customers and bank staff, according to police. Bank employees handed over 8,300 euros to Selemezidis. The bank’s guard warned him to stop but the robber turned and shot at him instead, before fleeing the bank. The guard chased him and was fired on again before shooting the suspect and injuring him in the chest, officers said. Selemezidis collapsed and was taken to the hospital by ambulance soon after, but doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. Police said that the robber was known to them due to past drug offenses.

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