Greek police have identified 10 additional members of a major car theft and resale ring based in northern Greece, bringing the total number of suspects to 19 in a sprawling investigation into the "cloning" and sale of high-value vehicles.
The criminal network, centered in Kastoria, is accused of stealing at least 11 in-demand vehicles from Thessaloniki and the greater Athens region.
Investigators say the group altered vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to match legitimate records before selling the cars to unsuspecting buyers, netting an estimated €34,750 ($38,000) in illegal profits.
Police said the group had been operating systematically since at least November 2024, with members rotating roles to execute thefts and facilitate sales.
Authorities had initially identified nine Greek nationals, ages 21 to 43, as members of the ring in June.
The investigation gained momentum in December 2025, when one suspect was arrested in Kastoria while allegedly attempting to sell a passenger car through a popular online platform. The vehicle had been reported stolen two months earlier.
According to police, the suspects marketed the altered vehicles at attractive prices via online classifieds or displayed them at car lots in central Kastoria.
A felony case file has been submitted to the Kastoria public prosecutor’s office against all 19 suspects. Charges include forming a criminal organization, aggravated car theft, forgery, and fraud.
The investigation, led by the Crime Investigation Unit of the Kastoria Police with support from the Northern Greece Organized Crime Unit, remains active.
Financial records are now being analyzed to trace the money trail and map the full extent of the network's digital footprint.