Moscow police detain suspect in €3m theft case

Law-enforcement agents detained a member of an international criminal group suspected of stealing money from safety deposit boxes at banks, the press service of the Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass on Thursday. "Introducing themselves as high-placed Kremlin administration officials and using the names of well-known statesmen, members of the group offered interested persons, for remuneration, their assistance in appointing them to posts at regional executive bodies, and participation in large federal business projects. "As prepayment for the services, the fraudsters recommended their "clients" to put a large sum of money" into safety deposit boxes at various banks. The money then was stolen. "A group member was detained in an operation in the Odintsovo district, Moscow region. He is a native of the Pavlodar region, aged 53. In early 2010, gang members promised a businessman to help appoint him to a post at a top executive body. After three million euros were placed in a safety deposit box at a bank as prepayment, the detainee masterminded the theft of this sum," the Interior Ministry said. Criminal proceedings were opened under Article 159 of Russia's penal code /fraud/. The suspect is in custody. Searches at the detainee's apartment found documents proving his involvement in criminal activities, police said.