In Brief
Peloponnese shaken
6.1-Richter tremor hits Methoni, 5.4 quake off Kythera; no injuries A very strong undersea earthquake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, occurred off the coast of Methoni, in the southern Peloponnese, just before 8.30 p.m. yesterday. No injuries or serious damage were reported. The quake followed another tremor, measuring 5.4 Richter, that occurred off the island of Kythera shortly after 1 a.m. yesterday. Again, no damage or injuries were reported. Seismologists blamed the quakes on the same fault line that provoked two strong tremors – measuring 6.5 and 6.4. Richter – last week. Yanked away Robbers use bulldozer to remove ATM from bank near Thessaloniki Robbers used a bulldozer to rip a cash machine containing almost 214,000 euros out of the wall of a branch of the National Bank of Greece in the village of Oraiokastro near Thessaloniki yesterday. The raid, which was along the lines of similar raids that have taken place on Crete, was carried out in the early morning. Police believe that the robbers used the bulldozer to flee the scene. Taxi muggers Couple robbing cabbies at gunpoint Police in Thessaloniki are seeking a couple believed to have been mugging the city’s taxi drivers at gunpoint. The local union representing taxi drivers believes that the same man and woman are behind a series of attacks. In the most recent attacks on different taxi drivers on Tuesday and Sunday, the pair used a gun to threaten each driver into handing over his takings. In one case, the cabbie protested and suffered a minor head injury – it was unclear how. Schools open All primary and secondary schools and universities in Athens that closed down on Monday due to heavy snowfall are to reopen today, Athens Prefect Yiannis Sgouros said yesterday. The schools were closed after heavy snow hampered the transport network and low temperatures caused problems with the plumbing and heating systems in many schools. Burglar shot A would-be burglar was shot and slightly injured during a raid on an electrical supplies store in Hania, Crete, early yesterday. The man and an accomplice had broken into the store at around 12.30 a.m. but were disturbed by two police officers. According to the policemen, the two burglars tried to fight them off and one of the officer’s guns discharged in the ensuing struggle. The injured suspect was shot in the thigh and was taken to the hospital where doctors said that his injury was not serious. The other suspect was taken into custody. Hospital thieves A 23-year-old man has been arrested and two others are being sought in Kavala on suspicion of stealing valuable items from patients at the local hospital. The unnamed man was allegedly caught red-handed while stealing a mobile phone from a patient’s room. Police said they believe that the 23-year-old and two accomplices, one aged 21 and a 41-year-old, had entered the Kavala hospital between October 5 and 7 last year and stolen a number of personal items from patients and nurses, including mobile phones, jewelry and cash. Farmers protest Farmers yesterday used their tractors to block a section of the national highway in Larissa, central Greece, protesting the high prices of milk and meat. The farmers, who emptied vats of milk into the street in a symbolic protest at the low value of their produce, want the government to raise prices and to boost their subsidies. Union representatives are scheduled to meet with Development Minister Christos Folias and Agricultural Development Minister Alexandros Kontos for talks in Athens on Monday. Garbage woes A group of mayors in Thessaloniki yesterday called for the closure of a landfill at Tagarades which, they said, is virtually overflowing and for the opening of a new dump that was supposed to have opened 16 months ago. The mayors of Thermi, Mikra and Vassilika said the new dump is not operating because a road connecting it to the main road network has yet to be built. They said this job must be completed, and the new dump opened, by the end of next month, otherwise there will be no space left at the dump in Tagarades.
