Crime wave taxes police
Police in the capital are struggling to do their jobs due to understaffing and an increase in violent crimes, the president of the Attica policemen’s union told Kathimerini yesterday. «The city center is full of illegals, homeless people and drug addicts – what should the police do, guard every citizen?» said Yiannis Makris. His comments follow a recent spate of violent robberies and other crimes in Athens and the publication of some unsettling statistics regarding crime in Greece. Every three hours there is an armed robbery, police figures show. Also, every two days there is a rape or murder. Overall crime has increased, with robberies up 14 percent last year. Understaffing is one of the main problems, police say. «I don’t have officers to staff shifts – I’ll have to get a transfer if this doesn’t change,» the manager of a unit in central Athens said. But the government must also take action, Makris said. «The state must take responsibility for increased crime,» he said.
