Crime in Greece
 

I keep hearing abot crime all over Greece. Did a British couple get murdered there recently? And what's this about the date rape drug being used in robberies?

MY WIFE AND I JUST RECENTLY CAME BACK FROM OUR HONEYMOON FROM ATHENS AND 3 OF THE ISLANDS AND NEVER HERD OF ANY MAJOR CRIME AND ONE THING WE HERD FROM OTHER PEOPLE WAS TO ALWAYS HAVE YOUR DRINKS OPENED IN FRONT OF YOU. <BR>

My _Lonely Planet_ guidebook from 1995 says "Greece has the lowest crime rate in Europe, and crimes are most likely to be committed by other travellers. Drug laws are strict, and even for small quantities of dope there's a minimum seven-year sentence." And in general, Europe is safer than the States. Your more likely to get pick-pocketed at worst. Violent crimes are few and far between. I never had any problems in Greece, and the closest I got to getting robbed was getting ripped off because I didn't barter hard enough.

I visited Mykonos in April. I met a man there who had been robbed in a bar after the bartender put a drug in his drink. He was lucky they only got a ring and not his passport, credit cards, etc. I also met a couple in Athens that had been robbed in broad daylight on an Athens bus. Don't put your head in the sand. It can happen to anyone, no matter how careful you are. That quote from the LP 95 edition is obviously out of date. I asked the Greek police about crime, and they told me it was rampant...and being committed by Albanian illegal immigrants.

I read a little about the British couple a month or so ago. I remember they were murdered on one of the islands. I don't think it was Mykonos, but I'm not sure which one it was.

Of course Greece has changed with the heavy impact of tourists that have invaded the country during the last 10-15 years, but it's still on of the few countries where I might hang my handbag over the back of my chair in the restaurants. I think, for the first time, during all our visits in Greece, somebody tried to steal my husbands wallet on the underground in Athens last year (I'm not sure, since we don't speak Greek), but our fellow Greek travellers were so angry with the man, that he jumped off at the first station. My niece toldme, though, that Kos has turned quite nasty, drugs, mugging, rape (I don't know). But I know that Greek people on the whole are nice, honest people, and I can't imagine feeling unsafe there. But of course, sometimes, even in the little duck's pond where I live, somebody goes crazy og nasty or...

I recently visited Greece for the first time in 10 years. It has changed tremendously. My wife and I helped a young man who had been attacked on Mykonos. He had not done anything dangerous or foolish, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Apparently, he was drugged with something that affected his central nervous system and his respiratory system. He had been robbed, but he was lucky to be alive. I know this may not be typical of the vast majority of trips to Greece, but it is becoming more and more common. As someone else said, the Greeks we spoke with blamed it on the influx of illegal aliens from Albania. This may or may not be true. I couldn't tell a Greek from an Albanian until someone pointed out the differences. But they still aren't that obvious. Just be careful wherever you go on holiday. Even though being careful is not enough sometimes.

Just back from two weeks on the island of Karpathos in Greece. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. I had my values in a back pack and money and my passport in my room and nothing happened. I do not think there are more crime in Greece than in other part of Europe BUT..... I do think that the more touristed place in Greece the more crime there will be - it's like that allover the world. YES there has been a lot of talk about Mykonos, but Mykonos is that kind of island, where things are moving fast. The greeks compare it with Ibiza, so you see.......... <BR>As one of the earlier messages said, I guess it's a question of "responding" to the surroundings your in be careful about things you do and don't

I'm sorry to hear about crime reaching Greece. I've been there four times, the last time in 1992. I never felt so safe. I stayed at a small hotel on Naxos -- in my room they had a directory of services and listed safe deposit boxes. I was impressed. I went to the front desk and asked about it. They said, "Yes, they had safe deposit." The man at the desk took a large yellow envelope, marked my name on it. I put my valuables inside the envelope and sealed it. He turned around and placed the envelope on an open shelf behind the desk. That was their idea of safe deposit. And I accepted it. No problems. What a shame to see this concept changing.

I have traveled to Greece many times over the years and it has changed tremendously, especially the islands. You never had to worry about crime before, but now you can't escape it. I try to avoid the obvious tourist traps like Mykonos where tourists can be easy targets. I have also learned to spot Albanians in a group or in a bar. Ask any Greek, they'll explain the difference. It seems the war in the Balkans is having an effect even in Greece with the influx of illegal immigrants who are very desparate people. For me, I'll risk the Carribean or Florida from now on. At least if something happens (God forbid), I know that the police will look into it.

I wish Fodors or other travel books would publish crime reports or ratings for cities, countries, etc. It would make traveling much easier to plan. So sorry to hear about all of the problems in Greece. It's such a beautiful place. It seems, however, that beautiful places are what a friend of mine calls "ass-hole magnets" as they attract the very worst people sometimes. Try places off the beaten path: the people are nicer and you'll have a better time.

Just back from Athens, Santorini,Crete, and several of the smaller islands. We had a wonderful time. We were just as careful as we would be in any large Anerican City. We did not drink anything that wasn't opened in front of us though. <BR>Everyone was frindly, helpful and kind. The only problem...everyone smokes everywhere. It is sad to see our #one export now in the process of killing so many wonderful people in Europe.

I just returned from a 2-week trip to Central and Southern Greece and Crete. The only problems my friend and I had with crime were in Athens. In separate incidents, about $20 in cash was stolen from my purse at a bus stop and my friend had a travel vest stolen from her day pack near the subway stop at Omonia Square. I would advise anyone visiting Athens to be very vigilant around public transportation. Sometimes it's better to take a taxi, especially when you are traveling with your luggage and are at all unsure of where you're going.

In reply to [email protected] regarding "I wish Fodors or other travel books would publish crime reports..." <BR>Some sort of rating system might be helpful, but raw statistics are only as good as the underlying data. The reporting of crime and the compilation of crime statistics is largely influenced by culture and politics. <BR>The U.S. State Department has a travel advisory for Greece at: http://travel.state.gov/greece.html <BR>I'm afraid it's not too informative though.

I hear that Greece is very scary. Were you safe on your trip?

I live in Manhattan, have worked in Harlem, and have been all over Greece. I have never had any problems. I am a firm believer that in some instances it has a lot to do with how you carry yourself, and how confident you look. Also, obviously be smart. No fanny packs. Obviously crime can happen to anyone no matter what, but I have never worried AT ALL in Greece.

By the way I have also been in Albania- the people I met were so NICE, and very interested in us, the tourists, spreading the word to the Greeks that they weren't animals. I hate the way someone like "Bob" lumps them into a category.

I live in Greece, I have spent 5 years in the US studying and travelled all across Europe. Greece is one of the safest places, and FYI crime is declining according to the official statistics. You never feel unsafe 24 hrs - 7 days/week in AThens, even at the "poorest" parts. Although it never happened to me, I would agree that tourists, like everybody in Athens or elsewhere, should be careful of their purse in the subway, crowded markets etc.<BR>PS&gt; that "date rape drug" believe me never heard an iccident and going out frequently. Avoid bars "only for tourists" and hang out where everybody else!

Apologies to Alice for using her post to vent, but I couldn't help but notice that Nancy Wilson mentioned in her reply that America's # 1 export (tobacco) is killing so many wonderful European people. No doubt that European are wonderful, but guess what? Europe has its own tobacco companies that are independent of America's Phillip Morris Corporation. There's France's Seita SA, Spain's Tabacalera SA, and in Japan there's Japan Tobacco, just to name a few. France produces the Gauloise and Gitane brands. Tobacco was transplanted from Brazil to France in 1556, to Portugal in 1558 and to Spain in 1559. Catherine de Medici used it (tobacco) during the late 1500's to treat her migraine headaches and she had it renamed Herba Regina. I'm sure American tobacco products are popular in Europe, but they do produce their own as well, and they do advertise them. I am so tired of America and its people being blamed for all the ills of the world.

where would all these countries be if America, and all our tax paid dollars had not been there to help them out..I would love to see the list of countries that provided us financial aid compared to the countries we have so graciously helped. Now that was just about money, how about food, medical supplies, etc...<BR>Enough already. I am so tired of people pointing the fingers at this wonderful country. Sure I don't like every pilitical jesture made by our elected officials but bottom line, the United States is the best Damn country in the world to live in. I will be in Greece for the first time October 2-12 and I shall were my flag on my shirt every day with enough pride to let all who see it know I am a proud American that happens to have fallen in love with my brothers and sisters in Greece and mnay other countries,but America is first in "my" heart!!