A detainee being transfered from a police station in Ayios Athanasios in Greece's second city, Thessaloniki absconded and went on a crime spree that ended with the murder of a bus driver. The 30 year - old, who had been arrested on suspicion of theft and drug possession, was in the process of being transfered to the Sindos detention facility when he managed to escape. Officers who were accompaning the suspect in a patrol car had neglected to handcuff the man who then grabbed a police pistol which had been left in the car and commandeered the vehicle in order to escape. Later he hijacked another vehicle and finally boarded a bus and for as yet unknown reasons shot and killed the driver using the police pistol.

According to Skai channel the body of the unfortunate bus driver remained untouched for more than eight hours as the police forensic team did not turn up until just before midnight on Saturday, despite the fact that the murder had taken place at approximately 3.30pm.

This is the latest in a series of police gaffes which have highlighted the Greek police's chronic lack of effectiveness in the face of rising crime rates. As if to underline  the chaotic state of law enforcement in the country  the headquarters of the main opposition party, PASOK have been the target of molotov cocktail attacks five times in the last week alone. Yet the police have been unable to prevent further incidences or arrest anyone in connection with the attacks.