An elderly man walking his dog in central Athens was threatened with an iron bar and had a cross ripped from his neck in...

An elderly man walking his dog in central Athens was threatened with an iron bar and had a cross ripped from his neck in broad daylight, with the attack caught on video. The incident happened on October 15 at around 5:25 p.m. on Ionias Avenue in the Agios Panteleimonas neighborhood, a district that has seen a string of similar crimes targeting vulnerable residents. The victim, identified as Mr. Dimitris, told Mega TV that one of the two attackers initially approached him pretending to be hungry. The man then blocked his path while his accomplice grabbed the cross from his neck and struck him in the face before both fled the scene. Mr. Dimitris, who said he has lived in the area for many years without incident, was visibly shaken. He said he chose not to resist because he feared what might have happened if he had. The attack was captured on video and circulated widely in Greek media, including Mega, enikos, and Ta Nea. A nearly identical robbery was reported in the same neighborhood about a week before this incident. Police say the attacks appear to be part of a pattern targeting elderly people and women with children in the area. One of the two suspects is reportedly already known to police for prior theft offenses, but neither attacker has been arrested as of this writing. Residents of Agios Panteleimonas say the attacks are creating fear among the elderly population in particular. Mr. Dimitris summed up the mood plainly, saying he no longer speaks to strangers and does not know what else he can do to protect himself. #Athens #CrimeInGreece #PublicSafety