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Two 12-year-old boys were robbed by older teenagers on Saturday afternoon in Halandri, a suburb north of Athens. Authorities have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators following a report filed by the young victims.
According to public broadcaster ERT, the incident occurred around 4.30 p.m. at the intersection of Sidirokastrou and Komotinis streets. The boys were on their way home when they encountered two teenagers, estimated to be around 16 years old, who initially engaged them in conversation.
The situation quickly escalated. One of the alleged perpetrators restrained the two boys and declared, “You can’t go anywhere now. Hand over your phones.” Threatened and unable to resist, the victims were forced to surrender their mobile phones to the assailants.
The incident has occurred against the backdrop of increasing public concern over youth delinquency in Greece. A recent nationwide survey highlights this growing anxiety, with 49.5% of respondents believing that incidents of youth violence have risen, while 37.5% attribute the heightened visibility of such acts to increased media coverage.