Armed men disguised as police officers stormed the Serres Hospital in Greece late Friday and helped an incarcerated career criminal escape after he had been taken there for medical treatment.
The accomplices reportedly disarmed the prison guards who were watching the hospitalized inmate and fled with him.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 pm on Friday. The assailants were reportedly disguised as members of the special police operations unit, according to public broadcaster ERT, and allegedly disarmed the guards accompanying the prisoner, taking their service weapons.
The armed men then took the inmate and escaped from the hospital without being detected by staff or civilians, prompting police to launch a manhunt for both the prisoner and his accomplices.
The authorities describe the escapee as a hardened criminal who had previously opened fire against police in Thessaloniki in broad daylight. Police later located a vehicle fitted with fake license plates that is believed to have been used by the inmate and his accomplices to escape.
A hardened criminal
Inside the vehicle, authorities found an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition, which are being examined as part of the investigation. A second vehicle was also found completely burned in the Volvi area, with authorities investigating whether it was the other vehicle used by the perpetrators.
The escaped inmate is an Albanian national serving a prison sentence for serious offenses. He was arrested on September 15, 2025, in northern Greece in connection with an attempted murder case in Pylaia, as well as drug-and-weapons-related cases.
The incident comes amid a series of recent prison and hospital escapes that have raised questions over the security of inmates receiving medical treatment and the supervision of prisoners outside correctional facilities.
In February, a 47-year-old inmate escaped from an intensive care unit at a hospital in northern Greece while being treated under police guard after suffering a heart attack. He reportedly opened a window, climbed onto a neighboring balcony and fled the hospital grounds, despite still being connected to intravenous tubes. He was recaptured several days later following a police operation.
In April, three escaped convicts with criminal records were arrested in western Greece after allegedly attempting an armed robbery at a family home. The men had previously escaped custody and were wanted on serious criminal charges, including murder.
In June, a 48-year-old inmate escaped from Korydallos Prison, Greece’s largest correctional facility, while carrying out work duties. Two prison officers were arrested in connection with the escape, while disciplinary and criminal investigations were launched. Security footage later showed the prisoner fleeing the facility in broad daylight.
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