Police arrest suspect in engineer’s murder

A 44-year-old with a criminal record has been arrested for the murder of topographical engineer Panagiotis Stathis.

Video from surveillance cameras helped identify the suspect.

After the murder, in the suburban district of Neo Psychico, last Tuesday, the suspect had driven a scooter to the eastern Athens suburb of Zografou, where he parked it and took off with a larger motorbike.

Both vehicle have been impounded and are being examined at Hellenic Police's crime labs.

The suspect is said to have been in the abduction of shipowner Periklis Panagopoulos, in January 2009.

He has also been involved, according to police, in beatings, robberies and extortion of businessmen. Police sources have also described him as an enforcer on behalf of known criminals.