Vari: 66-year-old Faces Arson Charges for 4 Incidents

The 66-year-old man, who was arrested by the Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes (DAEE) for intentional and repeated forest arson, has been remanded in custody with the agreement of the investigating judge and prosecutor.

According to the charges, the 66-year-old caused four fires on June 8 and 9, 2024, in the Xeroma area of Vari, Attica.

Specifically, the 66-year-old man is a Ph.D. in Sociology from Panteion University and a graduate of the Economics Department of Aristotle University. Additionally, his resume indicates he served as a professor at the Greek Police Academy for twelve consecutive years.

According to sources, during his testimony, the 66-year-old denied the charges, claiming he was at home in the Vari area during the times of the fires.

The video that exposed him

As revealed yesterday by protothema.gr, video footage shows the 66-year-old moving and starting fires. According to authorities, the footage was captured by house and store cameras. From the footage of the first day, he is seen passing a spot where a fire soon breaks out, and from the footage of the second night, he appears to throw a flaming object into dry grass, which did not ignite.

Later, the man is seen moving a few meters further to set another fire in dry grass and leaves only after ensuring that the fire is well-established. Additionally, witness testimonies confirm that the man in the video is the 66-year-old based on his characteristics and clothing.

Moreover, it is noteworthy that the same man, along with a friend, had sent an email to the local municipality at the end of May expressing concerns about the risk of fire due to uncleaned plots of land.

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