Elderly woman defrauded of gold sovereigns in Thessaloniki

An 89-year-old woman in Thessaloniki, Greece, was targeted by fraudsters posing as employees of the local utility company, DEH, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The perpetrators contacted the victim by phone, claiming that urgent work in the area posed a risk of electrocution. They instructed the woman to isolate herself in a room and to place all her metal valuables—including 4,766 gold sovereigns and various jewelry—in a separate location for safety. The criminals further manipulated the victim into leaving her front door unlocked, facilitating their entry into the residence to seize the assets.

While one source reports the loss as 220,000 euros in cash and gold, other local reports specify the theft of 4,766 gold sovereigns, with the total value estimated to exceed four million euros. The suspects reportedly used a sledgehammer to destroy part of the property to access hidden savings. The Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) has launched an investigation into the incident, which is being treated as a major fraud case. The suspects currently remain at large, and the authorities are actively working to identify and apprehend the perpetrators involved in this organized crime.