Armed robbers attack five star hotel in Athens

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The five - star Intercontinental Hotel in the heart of the Athens was the victim of a robbery yesterday afternoon when two armed men burst into the hotel's lobby and held up a car auction that was taking place at the time. The two men then grabbed a suitcase containing cash and other personal items and as they left clubbed a woman to the floor.

The business man running the auction hit the headlines last month when he was shot by a senior police officer in a cafe in the Petrou Ralli district of Athens after an argument.

In addition to raid on the hotel, one of Athens most well - known three armed robberies involving supermarkets in the Greek capital were also reported yesterday. At 8.45 last night four robbers carrying AK47 assault rifles attacked the Carrefour hypermarket taking an, as yet unknown, amount of money. Police officers who gave chase lost the get away car after an exchange of fire. At approximately the same time two other supermarkets were hit in other areas. No casualties were reported

The latest incidences come just 24 hours after the unprecedented shooting by a 19 year old of a fellow student in a technical school in Athens and is part of a rising tide of crime that the Greek authorities are struggling to deal with. Despite the fact the Greece has far more police officers per head of population per head than most other European countries the performance of the force has not kept with the public's expectations.

The fact that the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel took place just one week after the government announced a crack down on crime in central Athens is bound to add the present administration's political woes in what is shaping up to be a pre - election period.