NEWS

In Brief

TAPPING PROBE

Committee wants details of 82 numbers linked to shadow phones A parliamentary committee investigating a phone-tapping scandal targeting the government and private citizens yesterday said it would seek full details of 82 suspect mobile phone numbers that communicated with the so-called «shadow cell phones» used for eavesdropping. The cross-party committee agreed to ask the Communications Privacy Protection Authority (ADAE) for the names, and other personal details, of the mobile owners. A classified document, containing the 82 numbers, was submitted to a prosecutor handling the phone-tapping probe last week. BUSY BURGLARS Four men charged with more than 100 raids on suburban homes Four men have been arrested in Athens, accused of more than 100 counts of theft, police said yesterday. The men, arrested on June 15, allegedly stole mobile phones, jewelry, credit cards and electrical appliances from homes mostly in the city’s southeastern suburbs from June 2003. Police have launched a hunt for a fifth man believed to have been involved in the thefts. GAMBLING RING Thessaloniki World Cup scam exposed Police said yesterday they broke an illegal gambling ring operating out of a cafeteria in Thessaloniki that took bets on the World Cup. Three men, aged 32, 30 and 34, were arrested late on Tuesday shortly before the Germany-Italy game, after allegedly accepting about 7,000 euros in illegal bets. The men are said to have then passed the bets onto an Internet betting site. Counterfeiting gang Police believe they are on the trail of an international counterfeiting ring after arresting a 72-year-old man in Larissa, central Greece, yesterday who had in his possession fake 100 US dollar notes. The man was arrested outside his hotel and police found in his possession almost 200 forged notes. Authorities are searching for another suspect in connection to the alleged operation. Storm death A 47-year-old Turkish-Cypriot woman was killed by flying debris yesterday during a freak summer storm in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus police said. The woman was caught up in unseasonal heavy rains and gale-force winds that swept through Nicosia in a 30-minute torrent. The woman, whom police did not name, was hit by a steel pole at an open market on the government-held side of the divided capital when a tarpaulin blew loose and was carried off by the wind. (AFP) Hit and run A prosecutor in Preveza yesterday questioned a truckdriver believed to have hit a 74-year-old woman a few kilometers outside the northwestern port, on the road toward Igoumenitsa, before driving off. Police traced the unnamed driver following tip-offs from passing drivers who had seen the abandoned body of Efthymia Bellou. Suspect charged A 37-year-old homeless man was charged with murder in Iraklion, Crete, yesterday after he allegedly killed his elderly companion on Tuesday. The suspect, from Drama, is accused of hitting the victim over the head with a slab of cement after a row over sleeping space in a shared derelict house. Consumer tips The Hellenic Consumers’ Association gave shoppers yesterday tips for the upcoming retail sales period starting July 17. The group handed out pamphlets advising consumers to properly check out prices before purchasing items and called on stores to post price lists in areas that can be easily seen. Ioannina fire Firemen and a water-dropping helicopter yesterday afternoon extinguished a blaze that had broken out a few hours earlier in a field near the village of Kranoula, Ioannina. The blaze spread quickly due to strong winds in the area but was extinguished before it reached nearby homes. Driver arrested A 42-year-old driver was arrested in Patras yesterday after the coast guard uncovered three illegal immigrants who were hiding in his truck, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. No further details were available.

Subscribe to our Newsletters

Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox.

By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.